“We have asked the airlines to pause all new reservations from abroad for one month from December 1,” a spokesman for the Japanese Ministry of Transportation said on Wednesday.
The announcement came after omicron infection had been detected in visitors two days in a row. After receiving criticism from several quarters, both domestically and abroad, the ministry announced on Thursday that the request to the airlines has been withdrawn.
Several countries have introduced restrictions for travelers, especially to and from southern Africa, after the omicron was discovered in South Africa last week. The World Health Organization (WHO) is among those who have criticized the measures.
The WHO believes that travel bans to prevent the spread of the omicron variant of the coronavirus will not be effective.
Japan has had strict entry restrictions throughout the pandemic, and almost all international travel to the country has been banned. In November, the rules were relaxed a bit, so that some students and business travelers could enter, but this was scrapped when the omikron variant was discovered.
The country has also banned anyone who is not a citizen from entering the country if they come from ten countries in southern Africa.
(©NTB)
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