Sep 24 (NHK) - The government of Japan may ease restrictions on entry into the country by people from around the world next month.
At present, people from 159 countries and territories are denied entry in principle. But the government is holding talks to ease restrictions with more than a dozen nations and territories where the infection is under control. The government has already resumed travel for businesspeople from Vietnam, Taiwan and elsewhere.
The government intends to consider allowing entry by businesspeople as well as medical professionals, teachers and others who are qualified for medium or long-term stays.
The government is planning to ask those people to take virus tests and have 14 days of self-isolation after arriving in Japan.
It is also poised to allow entry by privately-financed foreign students, in addition to state-sponsored students who have already been admitted to Japan.
The government intends to limit the number of people to be allowed entry for the time being, and plans to gradually raise the cap while expanding the virus testing system at airports.
