State Department Issues Travel Warning to Japan

The U.S. Department of State and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are warning Americans against traveling to Japan.

The guidance comes less than two months before the July 23 beginning of the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, although organizers have already said there will be no international tourists at the Games.

But while COVID-19 positive cases are dropping in the United States, they are rising in Japan according to NBC News. The “Level 4: Do Not Travel” guidance was issued after Japan suffered 36,000 coronavirus cases and 779 deaths in the last seven days, and nearly 716,000 cases overall.

Japan, where more than 12,000 people have died overall, is also still under a state of emergency as it prepares to welcome 11,000 athletes from 200 nations and territories.

“Travelers should avoid all travel to Japan,” the CDC said. “Because of the current situation in Japan even fully vaccinated travelers may be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19 variants and should avoid all travel to Japan. If you must travel to Japan, get fully vaccinated before travel.”

The State Department noted that travel to Japan for tourism and other short-term purposes is still not allowed.