Japan PM Kishida Eases Virus Entry Ban Despite Political Risk
- Prime minister says to cap daily entrants at 5,000 from March
- Kishida must avoid alienating voters ahead of a July election
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Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida rolled back some of the developed world’s most stringent virus border measures as he sought to tread a narrow path on pandemic policy that helped bring down his two predecessors.
Japan will end a ban on new entry by foreigners and ease quarantine rules, Kishida said at a news conference Thursday. The first phase of the easing starts from March 1, when new foreign entrants except for tourists will be admitted. The government will also cap the number of daily arrivals at 5,000 compared with the current 3,500 for the time being, he said.