Japan Mandatory TB Test For Foreigners Who Will Stay More Than 3 Months

UNSPLASH/Monica Silva ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - Japan began implementing a mandatory policy of tuberculosis (TBC) before arrival for foreign nationals who plan to stay more than three months starting with Filipinos and Nepalese, a government official said.

Vietnam is expected to be added to the list in September, followed by Indonesia, Myanmar, and China.

According to ANTARA from Kyodo-OANA, Tuesday, June 24, Japan's Ministry of Health, Manpower, and Welfare noted that the number of foreign nationals diagnosed with this infectious disease in Japan continues to increase, with most coming from the six countries.

The rule initially applies to citizens domiciled in the Philippines and Nepal and intends to stay in Japan in the medium to long term.

They are required to show proof of TB infection before arrival. Otherwise, the entry permit will be rejected.

Although TB is a preventable and cureable disease, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), TB caused about 1.25 million deaths in 2023 and is likely to return to the world's deadliest infectious disease, having previously been surpassed by COVID-19.

In Japan, the number of TB cases decreased below 10 per 100,000 population for the first time in 2021, reaching 9.2, so that Japan was categorized as a low-incident country according to WHO.

This figure has decreased again to 8.1 in 2023, based on the latest data from the Japanese Ministry of Health.