Japan to impose 10-day quarantine on travelers from South Asian countries
The Japanese government said Tuesday it will extend the quarantine period for travelers who have recently been to India and five other South Asian countries from six days to 10 days amid growing concerns over the India variant of the coronavirus.
The measure, which also applies to Bangladesh, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, is set to take effect Friday.
Travelers who have been to any of these areas within 14 days of arriving in Japan will be required to stay in a designated facility for the mandatory 10 days, during which they will be tested for the coronavirus three times.
As Japan has already banned the entry of foreign nationals, including those with resident status, who have been to those countries within the past two weeks, except under special circumstances, the measure primarily effects Japanese citizens.
The government also said it will newly impose a three-day quarantine period on travelers who have recently been to Kazakhstan and Tunisia, with a coronavirus test on the final day.
“There is a strong feeling of unease among the Japanese people regarding coronavirus variants, so we have decided to further tighten border controls in order to protect their health and lives,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told a press conference.
Meanwhile , Japanese government plans to extend the COVID-19 state of emergency covering Tokyo, Osaka and other areas beyond the current deadline of May 31, as infections have yet to significantly subside, leaving the medical system strained.
One plan under discussion is for the nine prefectures to get a new deadline of June 20, the same as Okinawa, which was put under the emergency declaration Sunday, the sources said. Another is for it to expire on June 13.
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is set to decide on the length of the extension within the week after examining the latest infection and hospital occupancy data and consulting health experts. A senior official said the length could differ based on the situation in each prefecture. Source: KYODO
25 May , 2021
Photo : Narita Airport , Tokyo / gaijinpot.com
