TOKYO (AP) – Japan is blocking access to all non-communicable foreign nationals as a precaution against new and potentially more contagious coronavirus variants that have spread across Britain.
The foreign ministry says the entry ban will start on Monday and last until January 31.
Last week, Japan banned foreign nationals from Britain and South Africa after confirming a new variant in seven people in the last two days – five Britons who tested positive at the airport and two others in Tokyo.
Japan is also postponing the release of 14-day quarantine for Japanese citizens and resident foreigners in a short-term program that began in November. Entrants must have proof of negative testing 72 hours prior to departure for Japan and self-isolation for two weeks after arrival.
U.S. troops stationed in Japan Military personnel – whose status is exempted from Japan’s passport control and visa requirements under the agreement – will be allowed to enter the country for duty or other reasons, although they must comply with quarantine rules.
Struggling with the rising number of cases since November, Japan has confirmed a total of 217,312 cases, including the deaths of 3,213 people.
Elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific region:
– South Korea has decided not to immediately enforce its toughest distance rules in most of the Seoul area, despite a surge in coronavirus cases there. The area is currently under the second longest distance rules. High-level sanctions are being called for, but the government is reluctant to do so because of concerns about the economy. Health Minister Kwon Devak-Chiole said on Sunday that the government Jan. Jan. Will maintain the current sanctions in the Seoul area. He said the third-highest level rules imposed in other regions were also Jan. Will last until January. Korea logged an average of 9,999 new cases per day last week, of which 90,900 were in the Seoul area. Under the current rules, nightclubs, karaoke rooms, fitness centers, gyms and crame schools in the Seoul area have suspended operations. As an additional measure, authorities last week banned social gatherings of more than five people and ordered the closure of ski resorts and other tourist destinations. The toughest sanctions would shut down thousands more businesses and force companies to order all nonsensical employees to work from home. A total of 56,8,9 cases have been reported in South Korea, including 08 deaths.
– Authorities in Beijing reported five new locally infected coronavirus cases as officers rushed to the mass-tested residents. Linked to the previous infection, five cases resided in the city’s Shuni district, which has since activated an emergency response plan, including mass testing, source tracing and disinfection. As of Saturday afternoon, more than 120,000 had been tested for coronavirus. Authorities plan to investigate 800,000 people in the district. Separately, officials reported four cases of locally infected in the northeastern port city of Dalia, where 4.75 million people were investigated after more than 20 confirmed cases this month. China recorded 22 new cases in the last 24 hours, including 10 imports and 12 domestic. A total of 86,955 reported cases have been reported in China so far, with 63.4 deaths.
___
Follow the AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic, https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine And https://apnews.com/UndersistancetheOutbreak
.
