On November 21st, for the third consecutive holiday, the Haneda Airport Terminal, the gateway to Tokyo, is crowded with airplane users. Tokyo = AP Yonhap News
The Japanese government temporarily suspends new entry of foreigners from around the world from the 28th to the end of next month. This is because patients infected with the new coronavirus infection (Corona 19) strain from the UK were confirmed not only in airport quarantine but also in Tokyo. Concerned about the collapse of the medical system due to the spread of the infection, as well as the criticism of public opinion for the passive response after the third outbreak, the decision was made quickly.
The Japanese government announced on the 26th that it would expand the ban on entry of new foreigners to the UK and South Africa, where the COVID-19 strain is prevalent, to the world by the end of January 2021. The Immigration Office said, “Precautions due to the discovery of COVID-19 variants in multiple countries.” Japanese nationals and foreigners with medium and long-term status of residence may return or re-enter Japan. However, the two-week quarantine after returning to Korea, which was exempted from last month, was reapplied from the 28th, strengthening restrictions on entry.
In the case of entering the country from a country where COVID-19 strain has been confirmed, a negative confirmation must be submitted at the inspection 72 hours before departure from the 30th, and a gene amplification (PCR) test will be performed upon entry. If you do not submit a negative confirmation, you will have to wait for two weeks at an accommodation facility designated by the quarantine authorities.
Even with this measure, the measure that the Japanese government allowed’business traffic’ through consultations with 11 countries including Korea, China and Taiwan remains. In the case of short-term entry into Japan for business purposes from these countries, the two-week quarantine exemption continues.
The reason the Japanese government made a quick decision is that cases of corona 19 strain infection have been confirmed one after another in their own country. On the night of the 25th, two infections were confirmed: a man in his 30s and a woman in his 20s who visited the UK on the 26th, following five people who entered the country.
The five confirmed on the 25th were quarantined at Tokyo Haneda Airport and Osaka Kansai Airport, respectively, during the arrival process. However, it is pointed out that the two confirmed on the 26th were “a hole in the quarantine system” in that they did not go through the airport quarantine. The man, who is the captain of the aircraft, returned home from the UK on the 16th to be exempt from airport quarantine. However, symptoms of headache and cough appeared on the 21st, and the infection was confirmed after being examined at a medical institution in Tokyo. The woman has never been in the UK, but infection has been confirmed. It is the first time in Japan that the corona 19 strain has been infected within the family. They have been hospitalized at medical institutions in Tokyo from the 24th.
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga held a press conference on the 100th day of his inauguration at the Tokyo Prime Minister’s Residence on the 25th and unveiled measures against the novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19). Tokyo = AP Yonhap News
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said at a press conference on the 25th that “we will quickly strengthen countermeasures while watching the situation in each country” regarding countermeasures against the variant of Corona 19. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, after the variant was identified in the UK, the government-level countermeasures have been discussed. The announcement of the test results of five people, the first case of corona 19 strain infection in Japan, was also scheduled on the 26th. However, it decided that an agile response was necessary and advanced. The government’s swift response is said to have been conscious of the criticism that “the decision is too slow” for Prime Minister Suga’s “Go To Travel” national suspension. However, concerns about the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympic Games, which have been postponed to July next year, are expected to rise.
In Japan, the number of new confirmed cases nationwide on the 26th was 3,881, breaking the record for four consecutive days. Tokyo also broke the record on the 26th with 949 people, and the number of severely ill patients was 654, the most since the Corona 19 incident.
Tokyo= Kim Hoe-kyung Correspondent [email protected]
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