US warns against traveling to Olympics host Japan

• An advisory against travel to Japan has been issued by the U.S. State Department two months ahead of the Summer Olympics.
• The CDC noted a “very high level of COVID-19 in the country.”
• It is still unclear whether the advisory would affect Team USA’s participation in the Games.

The U.S. State Department has issued a warning against traveling to Japan, where the Summer Olympics are scheduled to begin in two months.

A Level 4 Travel Health Notice for Japan has been issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The agency noted a “very high level of COVID-19 in the country,” prompting the advisory against nonessential travel.

Japan already has “restrictions in place affecting U.S. citizen entry,” the notice on the agency’s website added. “Visit the Embassy’s COVID-19 page for more information on COVID-19 in Japan.”

The Summer Olympics have been scheduled to begin on July 23 in Tokyo. While there is currently a ban on foreign spectators, thousands of athletes and support staff are expected to attend.

It is still unclear whether the advisory would affect Team USA’s participation in the Games or whether the guidance differs for vaccinated Americans.

Japan’s government has faced growing pressure to cancel the games in recent weeks. There has been a surge in COVID-19 cases amid low vaccination rates. Last week, about 6,000 doctors called on the government to do so. Polls also showed that the public indicated strong resistance to going forward with the Games.

Several athletes have already seen their Olympic dreams end due to the pandemic. Recently, three members of Australia’s skateboarding team tested positive for COVID-19. The entire team has since been disqualified for being in close contact with infected persons.

Japan’s health officials have tried to ramp up their vaccination efforts by opening mass vaccination clinics in more cities. So far, only 3.5 percent of the country’s citizens have been fully vaccinated.

On Monday, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga declared, “We will do whatever it takes to accomplish the project so that the people can get vaccinated and return to their ordinary daily lives as soon as possible.”

Source: The Hill