Japan To Tighten Control Of Travelers From China

Japan will tighten its border controls for travelers from China on Friday, as the latter nation is seeing a surge in COVID-19 infections, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said, Tomoko Otake and Kanako Takahara reported for Nikkei Asia.

Photo Insert: Narita International Airport

The announcement, which marks the first time Japan has tightened its borders since foreign tourists were allowed to enter without restrictions in October, pours cold water on expectations of an influx of Chinese tourists over the Chinese New Year period, which begins Jan. 22.

Kishida’s abrupt announcement comes only a day after news that China will scrap its quarantine for incoming travelers from Jan. 8, one of the country’s most significant steps since it effectively abandoned its two-year “zero-COVID” policy.

All travelers from China, including Japanese citizens and returning foreign nationals living in Japan, as well as those who have been to China within the previous seven days will be tested for COVID-19 upon their arrival in Japan.

Those who test positive will be required to quarantine at designated facilities for seven days.

The quarantine period for those who test positive is expected to be seven days if they have developed symptoms. For those who are asymptomatic, the period will be shortened to five days if they test negative on the fifth day, according to the health ministry.

The number of flights from China will also be limited to guard against a sudden increase in COVID-19 infections in Japan, Kishida told reporters at the Prime Minister’s Office. Arrivals from China, Hong Kong, and Macao will be limited to four airports: Narita, Haneda, Kansai International, and Chubu.

China is experiencing explosive growth in new COVID-19 infections, with reports saying that 250 million people, or 18% of the population, have been infected in just the first 20 days of this month.

UK-based health data firm Airfinity said Wednesday that, based on regional data, China is likely now seeing over 1 million cases and over 5,000 deaths a day, in stark contrast to official data showing 1,800 cases and only seven official deaths over the past week.

What’s driving the surge in cases in China is BF.7, short for BA.5.2.1.7, which is a sublineage of omicron subvariant BA.5, experts say.

Compared with the BA.1, BA.2 and BA.5 subvariants detected in the past, omicron BF.7 is better at evading the immune system and has a shorter incubation period and faster transmission rate, according to a Chinese medical expert quoted by China’s Global Times.

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