TOKYO, March 31 (KUNA) -- Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi on Tuesday urged the citizens not to travel to 73 countries and territories amid the global spread of the new coronavirus.
"There is a strong concern for ensuring the safety of Japanese nationals abroad, as many countries have tightened border controls and domestic restrictions. Unless there are exceptional circumstances, I advise people to suspend overseas travel," Motegi told a press conference.
The Foreign Ministry issued "Level 3" travel alert against 49 more countries and regions, including the US, China, South Korea and most of Europe on a four-level scale, in addition to 24 countries that have been already on the list.
Motegi also said the government plans to place an entry ban on foreigners from those countries and territories. According to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University in the US, COVID-19 cases surpassed 780,000 across the world with some 37,000 deaths. (end) mk.hb