Today.Az » World news » Japan to lift COVID-19 border controls before holiday week
29 April 2023 [20:25] - Today.Az
Japan will lift most of its coronavirus border controls, including
a requirement that entrants show proof of three vaccinations or a pre-departure
negative test, beginning Saturday as the country’s Golden Week holiday season
begins and a large influx of foreign tourists is expected, Azernews reports
citing Washington Post.
All
entrants with symptoms will still be required to take COVID-19 tests after
arriving until May 8, and those who test positive will be placed in designated
quarantine facilities, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters.
After May 9, testing of those with symptoms will be voluntary.
Japan
will also drop a special measure subjecting visitors from mainland China to random
testing upon arrival that was implemented in late December when infections
surged there, he said.
The
government had originally planned to implement the changes on May 8, when it
will downgrade the official status of the coronavirus to a common infectious
disease like seasonal influenza, but decided to speed them up for the holiday
season beginning Saturday.
Japan’s
government dropped its requests for mask wearing in March, leaving it up to
each person’s discretion. Most Japanese continue to wear them, although they
are only recommended now in crowded trains, hospitals and other public spaces,
and near elderly and other vulnerable people.
COVID-19
is currently categorized as a Class 2 disease along with SARS and tuberculosis,
which allows restrictions on the movements of patients and their close contacts
and the issuing of emergency measures by the government. Downgrading it to
Class 5 will scrap those rules.
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