Japan eases Covid curbs on flights from Hong Kong after backlash

New Delhi: A day after Hong Kong authorities asked Japan to remove restrictions on direct flights from the city, Tokyo on Thursday partially eased COVID-19 restrictions limiting flights from Hong Kong to a handful of designated airports. According to an Aljazeera report, residents will now be able to fly into seven Japanese airports, up from four previously, while visiting the country, a popular destination for the residents. Japan was one of the first countries to impose China-specific travel curbs this week as infections surged across the mainland following the dismantling of Beijing’s zero-Covid strategy.

Tokyo announced on Wednesday that flights from Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China would only be accepted at Tokyo’s Narita and Haneda, Kansai in Osaka and Chubu in Nagoya from Friday amid concerns about the potential emergence of new COVID variants in China. As long as they haven’t recently visited the Chinese mainland, travellers from Hong Kong would also be permitted to fly into the cities of Chitose, Fukuoka, and Naha under the relaxed regulations, according to the report. “Greatly disappointed by Japanese authorities’ hasty decision during the peak tourist season,” Hong Kong Free Press quoted the transport department as saying on Wednesday. The department said it had contacted the Japanese consulate in Hong Kong to “solemnly request” a reversal of the decision — which takes effect from Friday. Hong Kong had itself followed a version of China’s zero-Covid policy and imposed some of the strictest travel curbs in the world during the pandemic, which left the business hub isolated for more than two years. The city only began lifting restrictions recently, ending mandatory hotel quarantine for all arrivals in September. From Friday, Japan will also require on-arrival virus tests for passengers from China, but that will not apply to travellers from Hong Kong and Macau. With inputs from agencies Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.