04-Jan-2022

Japan: Fumio Kishida, Prime Minister Japanese  said Tuesday he won't make any overseas visits before the regular parliamentary session in mid-January due to the spread of COVID-19 both in Japan and around the world."In light of the domestic and overseas spread of the novel coronavirus, I have decided not to make overseas trips before the regular Diet session this month," Kishida said at New Year press conference.According to the news agency, the prime minister will focus on a COVID-19 response, specifically talks with Australia on the Japan-Australia Reciprocal Access Agreement, and with the US, toward enhancing bilateral ties between the two counties."With the strict border control measures, we have managed to minimize the Omicron variant's entry into Japan, but infections are spreading in major cities," the prime minister said, adding that he intends to focus on domestic measures for countering the spread of the Omicron variant.On November 17, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Tokyo and Canberra had reached an agreement in principle on the Japan-Australia Reciprocal Access treaty that will further deepen the countries' strategic and security relationship.The first case of Omicron was discovered in the country in early December. So far, Japan has not introduced internal restrictions but has stopped issuing new visas to foreigners, and suspended those already issued for businessmen and students.Meanwhile, tourists have not been able to enter the country since late December 2020.