Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the move was an emergency precaution against the new version. The ban temporarily extends through the end of the year.
Highlight
- Japan further tightens its border controls against a new coronavirus variant
- WHO warns global risk from Omicron variant is “very high” based on early evidence
- Japan begins offering coronavirus vaccine booster shots to health care workers
Japan has asked international airlines to stop taking new reservations for all incoming flights into Japan until the end of December, the transport ministry said on Wednesday as the country further tightens its border controls against a new coronavirus variant.
It said the request is an emergency precaution amid growing concern over the spread of the new Omicron variant.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism said those who have already made reservations are not affected, although flights may be canceled if there are insufficient passengers. Transit passengers are also unaffected, it said. Japan is a major transit hub for flights to and from Asia. The move comes a day after Japan reported its first case at a Namibian diplomat, confirming a second case of the Omicron variant in a man from Peru.
Japan has banned all foreign visitors from Tuesday. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the move was an emergency precaution against the new version. The ban temporarily extends through the end of the year. The government also requires Japanese citizens arriving in the country to be quarantined for 14 days.
The World Health Organization warned on Monday that the global risk from the Omicron variant is “very high” based on early evidence, saying it could have “serious consequences”.
Much is unknown about the new variant, including whether it is more contagious, as some health officials have suspected, whether it makes people more seriously ill, and whether it can cause vaccines to fail. could. Narita International Airport Corp, which operates Japan’s main international airport near Tokyo, said it was not aware of any immediate changes in flight arrivals in response to the announcement.
The decision was disappointing for those planning travel during the holiday season, including Japanese citizens living abroad who were hoping to return home for the New Year period. Japan was easing social and economic activity after infections slowed sharply since September.
Meanwhile, Japan on Wednesday began offering health care workers coronavirus vaccine booster shots amid growing concerns over the new version. Japan’s initial vaccination campaign began in mid-February, and some medical workers who received the shot more than nine months ago are now eager to gain additional protection before a potential new wave of infections.
A group of nurses and doctors receive booster shots at Tokyo Medical Center. “This is an important first step in treating our patients and their families with a sense of security,” said Kazuhiro Araki, the head of the hospital.
Even though the efficacy of the vaccines against the new variant is still being investigated, booster shots are important, Araki said, because the vaccines remain effective against other strains of the virus, including Delta, which were introduced into Japan’s health care systems this summer. exert heavy pressure.
People who received their second shot eight months ago are eligible for a third shot to prevent a breakthrough infection. Officials said the eligibility could be reduced to six months if there is a resurgence of the infection.
Vaccination in Japan has been slow, but has increased since late May, and about 77% of the population is now fully vaccinated – one of the main reasons experts have attributed the steady slow rate of infection in Japan since September. has been cited. Booster shots for elderly people, who received their initial vaccination in April, are expected to begin in January.
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