SEOUL, Jan. 11 (UPI) — Tokyo lodged a diplomatic protest with China over its suspension of travel visas for Japanese citizens, Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said Wednesday, calling the move “regrettable” and asking for it to be overturned.
The Chinese Embassy in Japan announced late Tuesday that it would stop issuing short-term visas to Japanese citizens, following a similar move earlier in the day against South Korea.
Both Tokyo and Seoul have imposed COVID-19 testing requirements and other restrictions for passengers arriving from China due to a major outbreak of the virus.
“It is extremely regrettable that China has restricted the issuance of visas for reasons other than measures against COVID-19, while Japan is implementing border controls for virus prevention with as much consideration as possible so as not to disrupt international travel,” Hayashi told reporters during a visit to Argentina
“We have lodged a protest with the Chinese side through diplomatic channels and requested the removal of such measures,” he added.
China’s immigration office took further retaliatory steps on Wednesday, announcing it was also suspending port visas and transit visa exemptions for South Korean and Japanese citizens.
COVID-19 cases and deaths have surged in China since Beijing suddenly lifted its draconian virus control policies in early December following widespread public protests.
The country fully reopened its borders for the first time in three years on Sunday, but the World Health Organization has expressed concern over the lack of data coming from China, saying it is “under-representing” the severity of its outbreak.
Several countries, including the United States, Britain, Australia and India, are also requiring negative tests and other measures for travelers from China in response to the COVID-19 surge.
On Tuesday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin slammed such moves as “discriminatory” and said that Beijing would take reciprocal steps.
“Regrettably, a handful of countries, in disregard of science, facts and their actual epidemic situation, have insisted on taking discriminatory entry restriction measures targeting China,” Wang said during a press briefing.
