Sep 11 (NHK) - The European Union says it is removing Japan from its list of countries and regions exempt from restrictions on nonessential travel into the bloc.
The move comes after a recent surge in coronavirus infections from the highly-contagious Delta variant.
The EU said on Thursday that it is dropping Japan, along with several other nations, from the exemption list. Japan was added to the list in June ahead of the summer vacation season.
In principle, the EU restricts nonessential travel from outside the bloc due to the coronavirus pandemic, while allowing visitors from certain parts of the world that it considers are keeping the virus outbreak under control.
The EU notes that member states can lift restrictions on nonessential travel for fully vaccinated visitors.
Each EU member state can make its own rules on whether to actually ban travelers from Japan, as they have the authority to control their national borders.
Germany on Sunday added some countries, including Japan, to its list of areas for which short-term travelers, such as tourists, face tighter entry restrictions if they are not fully vaccinated.
The EU reimposed travel restrictions on the United States and Israel on August 30.
