China has made COVID-19 anal tampons mandatory for all foreign travelers arriving in the country, a report said on Wednesday.
The government has argued that such tests provide a greater degree of accuracy than other methods of screening for the virus, the Times UK reported.
As part of the new travel requirement, there will be test hubs at Beijing and Shanghai airports, the outlet reported.
Li Tongzeng, a doctor for respiratory diseases, said that anal tampons are better because the traces of viruses remain more in the feces than in the nose or throat, state media reported.
The move comes after Japan asked China to stop conducting examinations on their citizens when they enter the country, as tampons cause mental anguish.
“Some Japanese have reported to our Chinese embassy that they have received anal tampon tests, which has caused great psychological pain,” Katsunobu Kato, the chief secretary of the Japanese cabinet, told a news conference.
However, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin defended the projections as “science-based”
The tests are “in line with changes in the epidemic situation, as well as relevant laws and regulations,” he said.