TOKYO: Japan may restart business trips to and from Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam and Thailand as early this summer, easing an entry ban to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, the Yomiuri daily said on Thursday.

Up to 250 business travellers a day will most likely be allowed into Japan from the four countries, which have seen their infection situations stabilise, the newspaper said, without citing sources.

Prospective visitors will be required to submit a document ahead of their trips to Japan showing they are not infected, and will be asked to go through a PCR, or polymerase chain reaction test, upon entry, the paper said.

Japan, which bans entry from more than 100 countries, will negotiate with the four countries get into full swing with eyes on the partial reopening in the summer, it said.

Government officials were not immediately available for comment.

In another step to ease coronavirus-related restrictions, the Tokyo metropolitan government is set to lift the "Tokyo alert", issued last week to urge residents to keep their guard up, as early as the end of the week, the Nikkei business daily said.

The number of daily new infections in Tokyo has stayed below 20 for the past four days. 

Reuters