Hong Kong asks Japan to remove discriminatory COVID-19 travel restrictions – JURIST

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Wednesday asked the Japan Aviation Authority (JCAB) to withdraw new COVID-19 travel restrictions. Effective from Friday and running until the end of January 2023, the restrictions will limit inbound flights from Hong Kong SAR and Macau to four mainland airports. Outbound flights will not be affected. An estimated 250 flights and 60,000 passengers are affected by the restrictions.

China’s easing of its “zero coronavirus” policy has created a huge demand for international travel. Many Chinese citizens, residents of Hong Kong SAR and Macau are booking overseas travel. In response, JCAB imposed restrictions to limit the spread of potential new variants to Japan. There is no data on whether new subspecies exist in China or related regions. Hong Kong Special Administrative Region officials called Japan’s move “irrational” and “discriminatory.” Hong Kong SAR currently has a higher vaccination rate than Japan.

Japanese officials granted the request by opening three additional airports to receive travelers on Thursday. Additional airports will provide access to Hokkaido’s northernmost island and popular winter sports destination. The southern islands of Kyushu and Okinawa are also now open to inbound flights.

Restrictions for passengers traveling from mainland China do not include airport arrival restrictions. However, JCAB requires all travelers from China to submit for testing, regardless of vaccination status. Similar measures have been taken in the United States and India. China has stopped publishing infection data following the end of its “zero COVID” policy. Lack of transparency is raising concerns as borders reopen.