Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi expressed Tuesday opposition to China's decision to suspend the issuing of visas to Japanese travelers and protested through diplomatic channels.
That China decided to "restrict issuing (visas) for reasons besides COVID-19 countermeasures is extremely regrettable," Hayashi told reporters in Argentina while on a diplomatic trip across the Americas, adding that Japan had requested China repeal the move.
China began suspending the issuance of new visas to Japanese and South Korean travelers the previous day after it said it would respond to countries that introduced tighter coronavirus entry restrictions on visitors from China.
Japan currently requires proof of a negative pre-departure COVID-19 test from those arriving from mainland China amid a surge of cases and fears that a new virus variant could emerge there.
Regarding Japan's stricter border controls, Hayashi said, "(The measures) have been put in place so as not to hinder as much as possible the global movement of people."
"We will examine the COVID-19 conditions in China and how the country discloses information and act accordingly," he added.
