TOKYO Kyodo confirmed its second case of the Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus Wednesday, the top government spokesman said, as the country announced that it would deny entry to all foreigners from 10 African countries feared to have outbreaks of the strain.
A man in his 20s who arrived at Narita Airport near Tokyo from Peru on Saturday was found to have been infected with the Omicron variant, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters. Scientists are trying to find out whether it is more transmissible or able to evade immunity from vaccines or previous infections.
A diplomat in his 30 s traveling from Namibia has been confirmed by Japan as the first case. A non-Japanese man from Peru, who is currently in quarantine at a medical facility, was not in close contact with the diplomat, according to a government source.
Matsuno said that Japan will deny entry to all foreigners, including residents with long-term visas, who have recently been in Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The measure will come into effect on Thursday and will be in place for the time being, Matsuno told a press conference. There are already bans on entry from foreigners from around the world.
Exemptions will be made in special circumstances involving foreign spouses and children of Japanese citizens, diplomats and humanitarian cases.
But Matsuno said Japan is narrowing eligibility for exemptions as part of an effort to keep out of the Omicron variant and has stopped accepting government-funded international students or participants in the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program.
As part of tighter border controls, the transportation ministry has asked airlines to stop accepting new reservations for international flights arriving in Japan.
The strain is a variant of concern, which may be highly transmissible or able to evade immunity gained from vaccines or previous infections, according to the World Health Organization.
Japan will expand the scope of countries and territories that return Japanese citizens and foreign residents will be able to get up to 10 days in government-designated facilities, in addition to the ban on new entry of foreigners.
From Thursday, people returning from Nigeria, Portugal, Spain and Sweden will need to stay in government-designated facilities for three days, the Foreign Ministry said.