Japan entry controls to stay until more known about omicron

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s prime minister says he will keep in place recently reimposed strict border controls, which ban most foreign entrants, until more information is known about the omicron variant of the coronavirus. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also says he will require 14-day quarantines at government-designated facilities for those who come in close contact with omicron patients, instead of the current stay-at-home policy. Japan has confirmed about 80 omicron cases, which authorities say have been limited to people arriving in the country who tested positive at airports and those who had close contact with them. But experts say community transmission is imminent.