The mandatory quarantine period for inbound travellers to Japan who have visited India, Bangladesh, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka within 14 days of arrival will be extended, the Japanese government has said.

The extension of the quarantine period will be for six to 10 days, the Japanese government said on Tuesday.

The move, which would come into effect on Friday, comes as Japan was grappling with a fourth wave of infections amid mounting concerns over the highly transmissible variant first detected in India, the government added.

“There is a strong feeling of unease among the Japanese people regarding Coronavirus variants, so we have decided to further tighten border controls in order to protect their health and lives,’’ Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said.

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Travellers who had visited any of the six regions would be subjected to a mandatory 10-day quarantine period spent at a designated facility, during which time they would have to undergo three Coronavirus tests.

The new measure would mainly affect Japanese citizens who had been to any of the six countries, as the government had already banned entry to all foreign nationals and those who have residency status.

Who have visited India or any other of the five South Asian countries within the past two weeks.

A three-day quarantine period would also be imposed on those who have recently been to Kazakhstan or Tunisia.

Xinhua

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