The health ministry has shortened the quarantine period from 10 days to seven for people seated near airline passengers with swine flu.
In addition to relaxing the measure aimed at preventing the new strain of the H1N1 virus from spreading in Japan, the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry also shortened the medical observation period through local public health institutes to seven days for people who had close contact with the flu patients and people who happened to be on the same flights.
The observation period is conducted if such people had already left the airport after arriving from overseas by the time the infection was confirmed.