NHK


 

The head of Japan's biggest business lobby is urging the government to further ease entry restrictions on new foreign arrivals.

This comes after the government decided last week to raise the cap on daily entrants to 5,000 from 3,500 starting next month.

Speaking at a news conference on Monday, Japan Business Federation Chairman Tokura Masakazu welcomed the move as a first step, since Japan is integrated into the global economy. But he said the government should speed up the pace of easing restrictions.

Tokura urged the government to raise the cap further by simplifying immigration procedures using more digital technology.

He added that many countries are starting to see the coronavirus as endemic, rather than as a pandemic, and they are adjusting their social rules accordingly. He said Japan should follow suit.

The government decided at the end of November to ban all new foreign arrivals to contain the spread of the Omicron variant.