Coronavirus: Japan likely to ban entry of all foreign nationals from US

Amidst the rapidly rising coronavirus cases in the United States, Japan is reportedly taking steps to ban all foreigners travelling on a United States passport. According to reports, the ban will also include persons who have visited the United States in the two weeks prior to their arrival in Japan. The decision is expected as early as next week.

Travel advisory to be issued

According to reports, discussions on the details of the ban are still underway. It is still unclear if the ban will apply to the whole of the United States or only the parts that have been severely affected by coronaviruses like New York. The measure is expected to take place under provisions of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Law.

In addition to banning visitors from the United States, reports also indicate that the Japanese Foreign Ministry will be raising the infectious disease warning in regards to the United States to Level 3, in a 4-tier grading scale wherein Level 4 is the most serious warning. The Ministry is also expected to advise Japanese nationals to cancel any planned trips to the United States.

Crisis in the US worsens

The deadly coronavirus pandemic has infected more than 6,00,000 people across the world and the death toll from the virus crossed 30,000 globally. According to reports, the death toll in the United States has recently crossed 2,000. The state of New York has become the epicentre of the virus in the United States.

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As per reports, New York has reported more than 53,000 coronavirus cases which are almost half of the 123,750 cases reported in the United States. On March 28, New York reported 155 new coronavirus related deaths taking the death toll in New York to 617. Neighbouring New Jersey has also reported more than 11,100 coronavirus cases.

New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo has recently dismissed suggestions made by US President Donald Trump about an enforceable quarantine in the New York City Metro area. As per reports, Cumo said that he believes that such a measure will not achieve anything from a medical point of view. Trump reportedly said on Saturday that he is considering an enforceable quarantine "maybe for a short period of time" in the New York City Metro Area due to the increase in the number of coronavirus cases. The New York City Metro Area comprises of New York City, New Jersey and Connecticut.

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