China on Sunday (January 29) announced that it would resume issuing visas for Japanese citizens, weeks after suspending them as a retaliatory step against Tokyo’s decision to require Covid testing for travellers arriving from China. Issuing a notice, the Chinese embassy in Tokyo said, “Starting today, the Embassy and the Offices of Consulates-General of the People’s Republic of China will resume issuing ordinary visas for Japanese citizens.” The embassy did not elaborate on this further.
On January 10, China had suspended issuing visas for Japan as well as South Korea as the two countries imposed Covid restrictions on Chinese travelling to the countries due to a sharp surge in Covid cases in China after it lifted all restrictions. Both Japan and South Korea had protested against the suspension.
“As part of Covid-19 countermeasures, our country is implementing border curbs that will not hinder international visitors from entering and exiting Japan as much as possible. So it is very regrettable that China has unilaterally taken visa suspension action for reasons beyond virus control. We have lodged a protest to China through our diplomatic channel and asked them to lift visa suspension,” Japanese chief cabinet secretary Hirokazu Matsuno had said on January 11.
On the other hand, South Korea called the suspension ”deeply regrettable,” with foreign minister Park Jin pointing out that Seoul was still issuing visas to Chinese visitors for urgent business or humanitarian purposes.
Though China will now start issuing visas to Japanese citizens, the suspension remains imposed on South Koreans. Japan is still requiring those travelling on direct flights from the mainland to show proof of negative Covid test results from samples taken no more than 72 hours before leaving China.
South Korea, meanwhile, said it would continue to restrict the entry of short-term travellers from China through the end of February amid concerns that the spread of Covid (in China) might worsen following the Lunar New Year Holiday. Currently, South Korea requires all passengers from China, Hong Kong and Macau to submit proof of negative Covid tests taken within 48 hours before their arrival and put them through tests again once they arrive.
According to Seoul’s Disease Control and Prevention Agency, around 10 per cent of the 6,900 short-term travellers from China who arrived in the country from January 2 to January 26 tested positive after being tested at the airport. South Korea also stopped issuing most short-term visas at its consulates in China except for essential government, diplomatic and business activities and humanitarian reasons.
(With inputs from agencies)
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