Press Conference by the Prime Minister regarding the Border Control Measures related to the Omicron Strain of COVID-19

"The World and Japan" Database (Project Leader: TANAKA Akihiko)

Database of Japanese Politics and International Relations

National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS); Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia (IASA), The University of Tokyo

[Title] Press Conference by the Prime Minister regarding the Border Control Measures related to the Omicron Strain of COVID-19

[Place]

[Date] December 3, 2021

[Source] Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet

[Notes] Provisional Translation

[Full text]

（Regarding the retraction of the suspension of new international airline reservations and the belated notification by the Civil Aviation Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism）

My understanding is that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism yesterday gave a notice that due consideration would be given to the needs of Japanese nationals wishing to return home, based on the number of reservations. While the Government has set the cap of the daily number of Japanese nationals returning home at around 3,500, the number of reservations fluctuates from day to day. Cancellations and other related matters are also expected to occur down the road. Thus, the Government has decided to take a more meticulous approach by thoroughly considering the availability of reservations on each day of the week and each particular day. I believe that this is something that we need to carefully explain to citizens and urge them to remain calm.