Kishida mulls easing COVID border controls

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:10 JST, February 12, 2022

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Saturday that he is considering “a policy direction for relaxing border controls” on entry into Japan, which were imposed to prevent an increased spread of the omicron variant of the novel coronavirus.

His remark indicated that the current measures, which suspend entries by nonresident foreigners in principle, will be reviewed. Kishida made the remark while answering questions from reporters in Tokyo.

The government has taken a stance of maintaining the framework of the current border control measures, including the suspension of new entries by foreigners, until the end of February.

Kishida did not mention when the relaxation would begin. He briefly said, “About the timing, I want to seriously consider how it will have to be in the midst of this changing situation.”