Japan To Ban Foreign Nationals After Cases Of The New Coronavirus Strain Were Reported

On Saturday, the Japan Foreign Ministry announced that beginning Monday, Japan will ban foreign nationals from entering the country through the end of January after several new coronavirus strain cases were reported.

CNN reports that Japanese citizens and foreign residents will still be allowed to enter the country but will have to quarantine for 14 days. The announcement came after two new confirmed cases of the mutated COVID-19 strain were recorded in Tokyo. Both cases involved travelers who recently returned from the UK.

The new coronavirus strain is believed to have originated in the UK. According to The New York Times, it is thought to have a 50 to 70 percent higher transmission rate than other virus variations. The UK has tightened COVID-19 restrictions as a result, and more than 40 countries have restricted travel from the UK.