Japan Plans To Implement Tubercollose Tests Before Arrival For Foreigners From Several Countries

Illustration of Terminal 3 of Narita Airport, Japan. (Wikimedia Commons/Obviously)

JAKARTA - Japan plans to impose mandatory tuberculosis (TBC) checks before arrival, for foreign nationals (WNA) from a number of countries planning to stay for a medium to long period starting next year, Health Minister Keizo Takemi said on Thursday.

Sources familiar with this matter said that most of the foreigners diagnosed with the infectious disease in Japan came from six countries that are expected to be subject to these requirements, namely China, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

These test requirements are planned to apply to those with the citizenship of the six countries above, as well as those planning to stay for more than three months in Japan for study or work.

Later, they are required to provide evidence of not being infected with TB before arrival, or will be denied entry to the Land of the Rising Sun.

"We are making final arrangements to start this system in the next fiscal year", Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Takemi said in a session of The House of Councillors, according to Kyodo News November 16.

It is known that Japan's fiscal year starts in April every year.

Meanwhile, according to sources familiar with this issue, the system is likely to be introduced starting from countries that have completed the preparation of the test.

Previously, the Japanese government was considering introducing a mandatory tuberculosis inspection system ahead of the opening of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics which took place in 2021. However, the plan was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

While TB can be cured and prevented, a total of 1.3 million people died from the disease in 2022 and is the second-largest infectious killer disease after COVID-19, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

In Japan, the number of tuberculosis patients for the first time fell below 10 to 9.2 per 100,000 people in 2021, placing it in the WHO category as a country with a low incidence of disease. This figure fell to 8.2 in 2022, according to the Ministry of Health, Manpower and Welfare.

TB is usually treated with antibiotics and can be fatal if not treated, according to WHO.