Japan to require China travellers to take Covid test on arrival
JAPAN will require travellers from mainland China to take Covid-19 tests on arrival from Friday, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said, after Beijing announced that it will end inbound quarantine requirements.
Tokyo has eased its restrictions on tourists in recent months and the move means that travellers from China will be the only visitors required to take Covid-19 tests on arrival, other than those who are displaying symptoms of the disease.
Kishida said on Tuesday (Dec 27) that the decision was made because there was “information that infection is spreading rapidly” in China.
“It is difficult to ascertain the precise situation due to major discrepancies between central and local authorities, and between the government and private sector. This is causing growing concern in Japan.”
The move came after Beijing announced that inbound travellers will no longer be required to quarantine on arrival from Jan 8, after three years of strict pandemic control measures.
China abruptly lifted many of its harsh Covid restrictions after nationwide protests and is now seeing an unprecedented surge in infections.
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Kishida said that travellers from mainland China, or those who have been there within seven days, will be required to test on arrival in Japan from Friday. Those who test positive will be quarantined for seven days at designated facilities.
He added that Tokyo will also cap flights coming from mainland China.
Japan only fully reopened to tourists in October, after two-and-a-half years of Covid restrictions that kept out almost all foreign travellers.
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In November, 934,500 people visited Japan from overseas, around 40 per cent of the figures in the same month in pre-pandemic 2019.
In 2019, travellers from mainland China made up 30 per cent of tourists who visited Japan. AFP
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