Japan revokes nearly 3M visas amid coronavirus fears

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA) - In a bold move to contain further spread of the deadly novel coronavirus, Japan on Friday said it cancels nearly 3 million visas issued to Chinese and South Korean nationals.

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said that the visas -- some 2.8 million of them held by Chinese and 17,000 by South Koreans -- are invalid from Monday next week until March 31, Kyodo News reported. The measure includes visas issued to people from Hong Kong and Macau.

The country has already closed schools for a month.

In Japan, 1,045 people have contracted the deadly virus, including the effected passengers of the contagion-hit Diamond Princess cruise ship. So far, six of the COVID-19 patients have died.

In a tit-for-tat response, South Korea decided Friday to halt visa-free entry program for Japanese citizens.

Japan is also bringing a special law on Monday which will enable the Abe government to declare a state of emergency to fight the disease.

Earlier on Friday, South Korea lashed out at Japan for imposing travel restrictions on its citizens.

The virus originated in China's Wuhan city last December and has since caused more than 3,381 deaths, and infected 97,993 people globally, according to the World Health Organization.