The new, highly infectious strain of COVID-19 that was first detected in the United Kingdom in early December has arrived in Japan.
On Friday, Norihisa Tamura, the country’s health minister, stated that five individuals who had traveled from the U.K. to Japan, three to Osaka and two to Tokyo, have tested positive for it.
The news came a day after Japan had started banning travel from the U.K., and it sparked the adoption of greater restrictions. Starting on Dec. 28, most foreigners who are not residents of Japan will not be allowed to enter the country from any originating point.
Also, allowed foreigners and Japanese citizens must take a COVID-19 test no earlier than 72 hours prior to the departure of their flight to Japan and produce a negative result upon checking in at the airport and upon entry into Japan and then self-isolate for 14 days after arriving.
Overall, cases are starting to climb throughout the island country of 125 million. On Friday, it reported 3,748 new ones, the third straight day that that figure had exceeded 3,000, while Tokyo itself had a record 949 new cases on Saturday. Record daily highs have also been recently reported in Hyogo, Kumamoto, Kyoto and Saitama.
On Dec. 25, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga urged Japanese citizens and residents to socialize with as few people as possible over the New Year’s holiday, a time when Japanese families have normally gathered in large numbers and made mass visits to shrines and temples.
Suga is just three months into his role, having assumed office on Sept. 16. Many have criticized him for being reportedly slow in reacting to increasing infection rates and for partaking in a series of gatherings in the middle of December after having previously urged others in Japan to avoid such get-togethers.