Chinese visitors must show Covid test to enter, says Japan

• As a temporary emergency measure against surging Covid-19 infections in China, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Japan will require tests for all visitors from China
• The antigen test, conducted on all entrants suspected to have COVID-19, will be mandatory for all people arriving from mainland China
• Those who test positive will be quarantined for seven days

TOKYO, Japan: As a temporary emergency measure against surging Covid-19 infections in China, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Japan will require tests for all visitors from China.

The antigen test, conducted on all entrants suspected to have COVID-19, will be mandatory for all people arriving from mainland China. Those who test positive will be quarantined for seven days.

The measure begins this week, just as Japan heads into New Year’s holidays marked by parties and travel, when infections are expected to rise.

Last week, India also mandated a COVID-19 test for travelers from China, Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea and Thailand.

Kishida said China’s lack of information and transparency about infections made it difficult to put in place safety measures. There are large discrepancies between information from central and local authorities in China, and between the government and private organizations, he said.

“There are growing worries in Japan,” Kishida said. “We have decided to take a temporary special measure to respond to the situation.”

In a nuanced criticism to tightening of border measures by Japan and India, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said, “China believes that the pandemic measures should be science-based and appropriate, and should not affect normal personnel exchanges.”

Japan will act flexibly while watching developments in China, Kishida added, including halting the planned increase of flights between Japan and China “just to be safe.”