The business community is calling for a relaxation of border restrictions implemented to mitigate the spread of the omicron coronavirus variant, but Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is treading carefully as the public has been supportive of strict measures.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno adopted a cautious tone when discussing border measures at a press conference Friday, saying, "We will implement necessary and appropriate measures, taking into account the infection situation in Japan and overseas, the characteristics of the omicron variant, and the impact of the restrictions."
At the end of November, the government banned most nonresident foreigners from entering Japan to prevent an omicron outbreak.
