Tokyo, Jan 11 (TIWN) Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Tuesday an entry ban on non-resident foreigners will be further extended until the end of February.

"The infection situations regarding Omicron are clearly different at home (and) from abroad, so the framework of the current border controls will be maintained until the end of February," citing Kishida, Xinhua reported.

Once COVID-19 cases fell dramatically in November 2021, Japan temporarily relaxed border controls, but soon reintroduced the ban on most foreign arrivals after the highly-contagious strain, Omicron, surfaced.