The Foreign Ministry has said that all foreign residents re-entering the nation from Bangladesh, Pakistan, the Philippines and Peru will need to undergo stricter procedures from next Friday, because of rising numbers of infections in those countries.

Last Friday, the ministry announced that permanent residents and long-term visa holders traveling from the four countries, as well as spouses or children of a permanent resident or a Japanese national with such statuses, will only be able to return to Japan if they submit negative results from COVID-19 tests taken before departure and documents proving they have permission to re-enter the nation.

There had been no requirements for such documents for foreign nationals returning to Japan.