As COVID-hit China opens up to travel, others secure their doors

Direct flights between Japan and China will be limited to four major Japanese airports for the time being, government officials said [Eugene Hoshiko/AP]

Japan will tighten border controls for COVID-19 by requiring tests for all visitors from China starting Friday, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced, even as Beijing said it would scrap mandatory quarantine for overseas arrivals.

The developments come days after the World Health Organization (WHO) said it was very concerned about rising reports of severe cases across China after the country largely abandoned its “zero-COVID” policy.