Feb 18 (Nikkei) - Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Thursday announced his government will allow a limited number of foreign students and business travelers to enter the country from March, following pressure from business groups and academic circles.
The move, which will mark the first major reopening of Japan's borders in more than a year, comes as other parts of the world have relaxed COVID-19 restrictions amid growing indication the omicron variant is less likely to cause severe illness than earlier strains. But high infection rates in Japan mean further easing remains a political challenge for Kishida.
"The pace of the spread of omicron across the country is beginning to slow down," Kishida said in a news conference. "Thirty-six prefectures are beginning to see a decline in the number of infected people."
The government briefly opened its borders in November, but quickly reversed the policy due to the rise of the omicron variant. From March, foreign students, business travelers and technical trainees will be allowed in. Tourists remain barred.
There will be a daily limit on incoming travelers, although it will be raised to 5,000 from 3,500. That includes Japanese workers posted abroad who are set to return to the country at the end of the fiscal year finishing in March.
When the border briefly opened in November, Japan required companies that accepted business travelers to submit an action plan to the relevant ministry for prior review. From March, the prior screening will no longer be necessary but submission itself will still be required.
