The government of Japan asked airlines to cut passenger numbers they carry into the country from overseas during the busy fiscal year-end travel period due to concerns over the spread of new coronavirus variants.
The transport ministry notified airlines of the new caps on March 8 at the health ministry's request. They have ordered domestic carriers to limit arrivals to 3,400 per week, while foreign airlines are restricted to 100 per flight.
This marks a return to the sort of strict caps seen last April, in the early days of the pandemic, after a gradual loosening that had recently allowed domestic airlines to bring in a total of 3,000 flyers per day at Narita and Haneda airports. Non-Japanese carriers had been permitted 300 to passengers per flight.
Currently, the government is requiring all travelers from countries where new variants have been confirmed to self-isolate at designated facilities for three days.
Japan Airlines has suspended all arrivals in Japan from France, the UK and Germany until the end of March, aside from transfers passing through the country.
