Japan to extend virus curbs for Tokyo, ease border restrictions

[TOKYO] Prime Minister Fumio Kishida plans to further ease Japan's border controls for the pandemic and extend virus restrictions for Tokyo and 17 other regions until Mar 21 as an Omicron variant-fuelled wave of infections lingers in the country.

He told a Thursday (Mar 3) news conference his government would raise a cap on daily arrivals from overseas to 7,000 starting Mar 14 from the current 5,000, giving priority to students. Japan eased some of the developed world's most stringent virus border measures on Tuesday, but had set the cap on arrivals so low it would take months to clear the enormous backlog of people waiting for entry.

"There is a clear sign of an improvement in the situation, but in some areas the expansion of infections is followed by an increase in the number of serious cases," Kishida said.

About 370,000 visa-holders including students, businesspeople and other workers were waiting for entry as of Oct 1, according to the Immigration Agency.

Japan reported 72,591 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday after topping more than 100,000 at the start of February as part of a record-setting wave of infections, according to government data.  

While Japan has had some of the lowest numbers of infections and deaths among developed countries, it has lagged many in providing third-shot boosters.

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So far, 20.5 per cent of the Japanese population has received a booster, compared with 60.9 per cent in South Korea, 48.8 per cent in the European Union and 28.2 per cent in the US, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

The premier is attempting to balance the views of a public that wants to maintain strict Covid border controls and business groups that have lobbied for a relaxation of curbs to let in workers, highlighting the competing pressures he's facing.

The prime minister must avoid alienating voters ahead of a July upper house election. Victory in that race would help him avoid the revolving door through which a series of leaders including his predecessor Yoshihide Suga have been dispatched.  

In a move that could appeal to the public, Kishida said his government planned to roll out a 360 billion yen (S$4.2 billion) aid package to help people hurt by oil prices that shot up due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.  

Japan will expand its punishments of Russia by freezing the assets of oligarchs, Kishida said. The premier also slammed Russia for its military move against its neighbour, saying it "can shake the foundation of international order". BLOOMBERG