Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Saturday that Japan will extend its tight entry rules until at least early next year to prevent the spread of the omicron variant of the coronavirus.
The government initially said the rules, banning new entry by foreign nationals worldwide and requiring returning Japanese nationals and foreign residents to quarantine in government-designated facilities, would be in place for about a month to the year's end.
Kishida told reporters that the government will continue with the rules until more details of the omicron variant are known.