Japan to bar entry of foreigners from India, Nepal, Pakistan

Good move. But should have happened at least two weeks ago.

How about Olympic athletes and staff?

...or are they "special"?

What about foreigners with a resident status other than spouse or permanent resident? Or are they more likely to have the virus?

Is already too late i think. Brazil has 1.5mill japanese people. The virus probably already entered weeks ago in Japan when they visited.

divindaToday  07:31 am JST

How about Olympic athletes and staff?

...or are they "special"?

-1( +0 / -1 )

No, that's the paralympics

Too late! Should have done this earlier!!!

I told an American friend about the entire covid saga over here in Japan. The constant back and forth of lukewarm state of emergencies, the feigned care, the vaccine fiasco, health ministers getting caught going to night clubs, no alcohol, reduced trains during rush hour, big giant vaccination complex in the middle of Tokyo, etc. etc. etc.

He thought about it all for a bit and said "as messed up as things were handled here (he's from Texas), I am genuinely worried for you. That sounds scary"

The world is starting to tune into this with the Olympics coming up. Time is running low Japan. Your fate as a future player in this world is up on display. Choose wisely.

@Hubert

Oooh!

Like something out of “Family Guy!”!

Does it mean only new entrants will be banned, or residents but not permanent will also have a reentry ban ?

So Indian, Pakistani, and Nepalese Olympians are also banned from entering Japan?

The Japanese government said Wednesday it will bar the entry of foreign nationals who have been in India, Nepal or Pakistan in the 14 days prior to their arrival in Japan, amid the spread of more contagious variants of the novel coronavirus.

Paving the way for Japanese nationals to spread the virus by being allowed to come back without being quarantined. Good Work!

He thought about it all for a bit and said "as messed up as things were handled here (he's from Texas), I am genuinely worried for you. That sounds scary"

It is. And unlike the US, we are stuck with the same perpetual leadership that has even less empathy than Trump did. At least the Americans got to vote him out and bring in Biden. We are screwed.

At present, Japanese nationals and foreign residents arriving from about 35 countries and regions, including India, Nepal and Pakistan, are required to submit proof of negative COVID-19 tests taken before, upon and after arrival.

What happens to Japanese nationals that test positive?

People arriving from the three countries are also required to quarantine for six days at designated facilities, while those arriving from the rest of the listed countries and regions are required to do so for three days.

What happens to Japanese nationals that refuse to do so.

Another vague policy. How these officials run a country is mind boggling.

How about Olympic athletes and staff?

...or are they "special"?

Of course, they are. It has been written that Olympians are the direct descendants of Zeus and the other Greek gods.

According to Japanese news, spouses and PR will also be banned:

新たな措置では、今月１４日以降にインド・ネパール・パキスタンの３か国から日本に入国する人のうち、日本の在留資格を持つ外国人の再入国を、原則、拒否します。日本人の帰国についてはこれまで通り認めますが、日本人の配偶者や永住者などは入国拒否の対象となります。

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/5f845d58ca5d27145d33706382677b36d90d8e68

Japan hopefully ramps up the vaccination drive to safeguard its populace from Brazil or India or any other country for that matter. This shall end soon but

Samit BasuToday 08:45 am JST

So Indian, Pakistani, and Nepalese Olympians are also banned from entering Japan?

Yes....No. Sorry, yes. No, no definitely no. Hang on what day is it?

Of course, they are. It has been written that Olympians are the direct descendants of Zeus and the other Greek gods

Just like nihonjinron which says that the Japanese are direct descendants of Amaterasu the Sun Goddess. So these divine people are all exempt while the rest of the riff raff humans are not-

Got it!

So Indian, Pakistani, and Nepalese Olympians are also banned from entering Japan?

Pakistan has won a total of 3 gold medals ever (all in Field Hockey), India a total of 9 (8 of those in Field Hockey), and Nepal has never won a medal. Safe to say that it wouldn't have much of an impact on the competition if they were not allowed to enter.

I thought all foreigners were already barred from entry?

Let them all in...as long as they are off the streets by 8 PM.

If the following is true, it is a change for the better:

Permanent residents and their families, as well as the spouses or children of Japanese nationals who leave Japan by Thursday with re-entry permission will be exempted from the measure.

Foreign nationals with special permanent resident status will also be exempted from the entry ban covering the three South Asian countries.

The question remains of what is to be done with Japanese nationals who have been in and possibly got sick in the three banded countries.

special permanent resident status

Never heard of that unless they are talking about those holding those Japanese/Taiwanese passports like some of my friends.

Not rocket science

Permanent residents and their families, as well as the spouses or children of Japanese nationals who leave Japan by Thursday with re-entry permission will be exempted from the measure

See? You need to educate these people and they will get it, but I must admit, I fear it is only motivated by foreign media coverage and people like us, who will never ever accept those unfair double standards without denouncing them. Keep complaining, they might eventually wake up to reality.

OK things have got to change here. Every day there is a conflicting message that things are under control and then the next that things are dire.

The media has got to start being honest and stop blathering the gov't line and propaganda. They had no problem when the DPJ was in charge in '98 to 2000, and 2009 to 2012. Get the same guts with the LDP.

Elected leaders have got to stop kicking the ball to bumbling bureaucrats. They do this to avoid responsibility. Put educators in the education ministry, medical pros in the health ministry, actual legal pros in the justice ministry and so forth. Stop with the highest donating buffoons getting life time appointments as bureaucrats.

Keep the same laws, policies, and directives and enforce the penalties with natives and non-natives. I personally know of 3 people who are Japanese and did not follow the quarantine measures when they returned. When I asked about it they all said, "I am Japanese and this is Japan. I am not a foreigner like you. This is my country." My reply was, "Oh so you can break the law with impunity because of an accident of birth?"

The vast majority Japanese people deserve better than this status quo that fumbles and bungles everything it touches. I love Japan and I hate the way people are used, abused, and tossed away when they need the slightest help.

You think Japan is strict? Australia won't even let it's own citizens back into the country.

Here in Malaysia we already have cases where people coming back from India bring the new covid variant, and yes it is scary and serious

This is diplomacy! Japan is aware the ban might have been seen as a racist offending India or Pakistan! Because Japan wants India to counter China's power! Japan is always hesistating when the state is in emergency!

The problem isn't that Japan is strict (it isn't), the problem is the double standards it applies to Jp passport holders vs other residents, as if your legal status of residence here has any bearing on one's immunity to disease.

Exactly!

Wow, what an early preemptive light speed decision. ROFL

Since previous Abe regime, response by government of Japan is always too late and insufficient about everything of Coronavirus measures.

This doesn't do anything, considering Japanese people who return from that region would only quarantine for 6 days, and many companies continue to order employees to business trips to these regions.

Bit late.

Kyakusenbi_ArimasuToday  01:46 pm JST

special permanent resident status

Never heard of that unless they are talking about those holding those Japanese/Taiwanese passports like some of my friends.

Korean , Taiwanese or Chinese who were already leaving here or been brought to Japan during the pre war and war period, and their descendants. Foreigners who can not be fired from Japan, not like PRs or others.

Good decision.

Better late than never!

@kyushubill

**The vast majority Japanese people deserve better than this status quo that fumbles and bungles everything it touches. I love Japan and I hate the way people are used, abused, and tossed away when they need the slightest help. **What planet do you live on? This should be no surprise. No matter what country you live in the politics of life will abuse you, toss you away, chew you up and spit you out when you need help, but when it comes to helping another country, they step up under the disguise of helping in a humanitarian way.

Does this mean that India, Pakistan and Nepal will not be represented in the Olympics or is that also an exemption?

OK Good move, but how about banning ALL international travel until further notice ?