TOKYO: Citing concerns about Covid-19, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced on Tuesday that he will postpone his planned summit visits to the United States and Australia until later this month.

According to the news reports, he stated that he hoped to improve diplomatic ties with US President Joe Biden and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in the coming year.

Kishida also stated that he will not go outside of Japan prior to the regular Diet session, but will remain in Japan to oversee the government's response to a rise of Covid-19 cases.

Because of the rise in Covid-19 cases in Japan, notably local transmission of the Omicron form, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stated on Tuesday that a decision on whether to implement more strict border controls would be made next week.

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