Japan is closed to visitors.
In order to slow the spread of the new highly infectious coronavirus mutation first detected in the UK, Japan has said it is temporarily banning people who do not live there from entering the country.
The ban will take effect on Monday and will last until January, Reuters reported.
Japanese citizens and foreign residents will need proof of a negative coronavirus test 72 hours before the trip before they are allowed to return. The passengers must be quarantined for two weeks after arrival, the government said.
Japan found five cases of the fast-spread variant in passengers arriving from the UK. He was also detected in a man who visited the UK and a family member – the first cases of infected people found outside the airport controls – Nippon TV reported on Saturday.
Several nations have banned or restricted travel to and from the UK because the rapidly spreading strain of the virus is circulating through the population there.
Tokyo reported 949 new cases on Saturday, a new high for the Japanese capital, as the country struggles with nationwide growth. Japan now has nearly 4,000 cases nationwide, according to the Associated Press.
Japan has failed to slow down infections, despite government demands that people avoid going out to dinner and parties during the holiday season.