Japan eases travel advisory for 34 nations, including China, S. Korea

TOKYO. KAZINFORM - Japan's government on Friday eased its travel warning over the coronavirus pandemic for 34 countries, including China, South Korea and India, and is no longer requesting that residents in Japan refrain from nonessential trips to those nations, Kyodo reports.

The Foreign Ministry also lowered its travel advisory for France, Germany and Italy, as well as other 11 European nations, by one notch to the lowest Level 1 on its four-point scale, advising Japanese nationals traveling to those regions to «stay fully alert.»

The total number of areas under the Level 1 category has increased to 70. In late May, Japan moved 36 countries and regions to the lowest level, including the United States, Britain, Canada and Hong Kong.

The relaxation of the warning for South Korea came two days after flights between Seoul's Gimpo airport and Tokyo's Haneda airport resumed. They had been suspended for more than two years due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Meanwhile, 90 nations and regions remain under the Level 2 warning, including 16 in Asia and Oceania, such as Taiwan, Indonesia and Australia, along with 27 European nations. As for the Level 3 advisory, which urges residents to avoid all travel, all 41 countries remain unchanged.

Photo: REUTERS / Maki Shiraki