The Japan Tourism Agency announced on May 30 that it is believed to be the first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) after the country launched a demonstration project to resume reception of foreign tourists to Japan.
On the 31st, a Japanese official said that passengers participating in tour groups would be required to wear masks.
Japan's Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Tiefu Saito attended the Senate Budget Committee on the 31st. He said that for foreign group tourists who resumed admission from June 10, they will be required to comply with epidemic prevention measures, including wearing masks, and will be written into tourism guidelines.
Kyodo news agency reported Saito said: "When companies such as travel agencies sell group itineraries, they need to explain the epidemic prevention measures such as wearing masks to participants and obtain consent."
He believes that because the tour guides can rely on the "guests have agreed to the group rules" and require them to implement anti-epidemic measures, it will help prevent issuance disputes.
Japan's new crown pneumonia epidemic: The picture shows passers-by walking in the Asakusa business district in Tokyo on March 7, 2022.
(AP)
Comprehensive Japan's Kyodo Network and the "Yomiuri Shimbun" said on the 30th that a Thai was infected with the new crown virus during a stay in Oita Prefecture in northeastern Kyushu, and the Tourism Agency announced the termination of the tour group.
A group of four of them arrived in Japan on the 27th.
The whole group planned to spend five days and four nights in Fugang and Oita prefectures.
When the person entered the country, the PCR test was negative, and the route of infection was unknown.
Three Thais who traveled with the confirmed case were considered close contacts and underwent rapid testing, all of which came back negative.
They are awaiting further test results at another hotel.
The patient reported a sore throat on the morning of the 30th. An antigen test was performed at a medical institution and the result was positive. He contacted the local health center.
He has no fever and his symptoms are mild.
Japan's new crown pneumonia epidemic: The picture shows two women wearing kimonos in Tokyo on March 31, 2022, riding a rickshaw to enjoy the cherry blossoms in full bloom in the city.
(AP)
Japan has not yet opened entry for general tourists, but it is now piloting "small tour groups" of less than 50 people from the United States, Australia, Thailand, and Singapore. From June 10, it will reopen for foreign groups with tour guides. Tourists can enter, and the "blue list" areas can enter without screening and quarantine.
If this plan does not cause the Japanese epidemic to rebound, it is estimated that it will gradually reopen after June.
Japan also announced on May 26 that it will relax its regulations starting from June 1. Countries or regions with the lowest positive rates, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Taiwan, and China (including mainland Hong Kong and Taiwan), can be exempted from entry quarantine. The number of daily arrivals is also expected to rise from 10,000 to 20,000.
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