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Japan to bar entry for foreign travelers, including Indonesians
According to the Indonesian Embassy in Tokyo, Japan recorded 101 new cases on Friday morning, bringing the tally to 1,402 nationwide with 45 deaths.
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Visitors wearing protective face masks enjoy the spectacle of blooming cherry blossoms at Ueno Park in Tokyo, on March 22. (Reuters/Issei Kato )
J
apan is set to bar entry to citizens of several countries, including Indonesia, wishing to travel to the country starting on Saturday, following a consistent increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases in the East Asian nation.
According to the Indonesian Embassy in Tokyo, Japan recorded 101 new cases on Friday morning, bringing the tally to 1,402 nationwide, resulting in 45 deaths.
As of Friday, Tokyo had recorded 267 cases, putting the capital prefecture on top of the list with the highest tally, surpassing Hokkaido.
The visa suspension will come into effect on Saturday for visitors from several countries, including Indonesia. However, foreigners registered as residents for work or study purposes are still allowed to enter Japan but must be willing to be quarantined for 14 days.
Read also: COVID-19: Indonesia suspends visa-free policy, expands ban for people from worst-hit countries
The embassy said visa-free or visa-waiver policies would also be revoked upon the enactment of the new policy. The same goes for people traveling with APEC business travel cards, as they will not be allowed to enter Japan.
Visas issued before March 27 by the Japanese mission in Indonesia will no longer be valid. New visa issuance will be halted starting from March 28.
“The new policy will be implemented until the end of April and could be extended,” the embassy said.
Japan has yet to impose a lockdown, but stores and offices have been closed to implement social distancing and a work-from-home policy. However, it did not stop people in the capital shopping for food and household supplies, albeit in a calm and orderly manner, said the embassy.
Read also: Indonesia, Japan commit to 'cooperation' against COVID-19
The Japanese government has decided to postpone the 2020 Tokyo Olympics for a maximum of one year, with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe saying he wanted to see the world’s biggest sporting event become the beacon of the international community coming together to address mutual challenges, the embassy wrote.
The embassy is consistently monitoring Indonesian citizens in Japan and is calling on them to obey instructions from the authorities.
Assistance and help from the embassy can be accessed through its hotline at +818049407419 and email consular@kbritokyo.jp, as well as the website m.kbritokyo.jp.
