Japan is considering reopening its borders to travelers from selected countries that have low levels of COVID-19 infections, as it begins to ease restrictions put in place to control the outbreak.
As schools, movie theaters, sports clubs and department stores reopened in Tokyo yesterday, media have reported that the government is also planning to allow travelers from Thailand, Vietnam, Australia and New Zealand into the country in the coming months.
There was no immediate comment from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
About 17,000 cases of the novel coronavirus had been confirmed in Japan as of yesterday, with about 900 deaths.
Since February, Japan has banned entry by foreigners to limit the spread of the virus from overseas.
The Japanese government is considering allowing business travelers from the four countries to enter if they test negative for COVID-19 in two separate tests conducted upon departure from their home country and arrival in Japan, the Asahi Shimbun reported, citing unnamed sources.
Once permitted into the country, visitors’ movements would be restricted to areas including place of stay, company offices and factories, the newspaper said, adding that use of public transportation would be banned.
Meanwhile, the Costa Atlantica cruise ship, which docked in southern Japan with more than100 crew members testing positive for COVID-19, has left the country and is en route to the Philippines, local government officials said.
The ship departed Nagasaki on Sunday, more than a month after it became the second virus-stricken cruise ship to dock in Japan.
The 86,000 tonne Costa Atlantica docked for maintenance in late April carrying no passengers and 623 crew, most of whom were eventually quarantined inside the ship after 149 tested positive.
Six remain hospitalized in a non-life-threatening condition, Nagasaki Prefecture officials said.
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