TOKYO, Dec. 1 (BNA) Japan said on Wednesday that it will expand the travel ban for foreigners entering the country, and ban those with residency status from 10 African countries including South Africa from entering the country “for the time being”.
Japan on Monday took some of the strictest steps globally by closing its borders to all newly arrived foreigners in light of the emergence of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. A day later, the first Japanese Omicron case was discovered – of a Namibian diplomat.
The border closure will be in effect from midnight on Wednesday for at least a month.
The new rules will apply to foreign residents from South Africa, Eswatini, Namibia, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Lesotho, Angola, Botswana and Zimbabwe, Reuters reported.
“From the point of view of prevention, we will not only restrict entry of new foreigners, but also return to resident foreigners, unless there are special extenuating circumstances,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said at a press conference.
“We will maintain a sense of urgency and will follow up on the situation in different countries so that we can respond quickly and flexibly.”
Among the other passengers on the plane with the Namibian diplomat, he said, none of the 70 people identified as having close contact showed signs of illness.
Japan’s border measures were eased slightly a few weeks ago, but all those changes were undone in a move generally praised and accepted by business leaders, although some sectors of the economy that depend on foreign trainees could be hit in the event of a lockdown. has been extended.
FKN