Khaldon Azhari

TOKYO: Following the Japanese government’s decision to close borders due to the ongoing pandemic, Tokyo Narita Airport is almost deserted.

On April 3, only a few flights to China departed, and two flights arrived from the Chicago in the US.

The airport’s medical staff are required to wear protective suits while checking passengers’ temperatures, as a precautionary measure against the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

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Departing passengers also took their own precautions against the virus by gearing up in gloves and face masks.

A temperature measurement officer told Arab News Japan that each passenger with symptoms such as high fever will be asked to spend two weeks in quarantine in an area near the airport before they can board a plane.

A Japanese arrival from Chicago said that there were 69 passengers in total on her flight.

“Foreigners can no longer visit, except for American forces, couples with a Japanese spouse and Japanese citizens who wish to return to the country,” she said.

Arriving passengers are led by an airport official, who tells them they must quarantine themselves in their homes for two weeks before stepping out in public, risking more infections in the country.

Since the start of the pandemic, Narita Airport has seen its international traffic decrease since February.

The Immigration Services Agency in Japan notified the public that due to the spread of the new coronavirus infection, the number of foreigners banned from entering Japan has been expanded effective April 4.

The banned citizens include nationals holding a Chinese passport issued at Hubei or Zhejiang of the People's Republic of China. The ban included foreigners who have stayed in the countries below within 14 days prior their arrival in Japan.

The list of countries includes three Arab countries; Egypt, Bahrain and Morocco. It also includes Iran, Turkey and Israel.

List of countries banned from entering Japan due to the coronavirus outbreak:

Iceland, Ireland, Albania, Armenia, Andorra, Israel, Italy, Iran, Indonesia, United Kingdom, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Australia, Austria, Netherlands, Canada, Korea, Northern Macedonia, Cyprus, Greece, Croatia, Kosovo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, San Marino, Singapore, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Slovakia, Slovenia, Serbia, Thailand, Taiwan, Czech Republic, China , Chile, Denmark, Germany, Dominica, Turkey, New Zealand, Norway, Vatican, Panama, Hungary, Bahrain, Philippines, Finland, Brazil, France, Bulgaria, Brunei, United States, Vietnam, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Poland, Bolivia, Portugal, Malta, Malaysia, Monaco, Moldova, Morocco, Montenegro, Mauritius, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, and Romania.