Japan is easing travel restrictions on travellers from nine countries, the foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi has announced today.
He said the countries are those where infection is coming under better control and the new rules take into account infection rates, movement restrictions and business needs.
It is moving nine countries - China, Australia, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, New Zealand, Brunei, and Vietnam – from level three, which advises against all travel, to level two, which advises against non-essential travel.
At the same time, the country has put Myanmar and Jordan into level three because of worsening infection rates in the two countries. Motegi said that 152 countries would now be at level three.
He also announced that the general restriction on travel issued in March would be lifted.
A new national lockdown has started in France today for the next four weeks.
It means residents in France may only leave their homes for certain approved activities including commuting to and from work and participating in a mission of general interest upon request from an administrative authority.
However, travellers arriving in France from the UK, European Area, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, New Zealand, Rwanda, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia and Uruguay are not required to self-isolate, or to demonstrate that their travel is essential.
Travelling between different parts of France is forbidden.
This weekend, the UK government will remove Cyprus and Lithuania from its travel corridors list. This means that anyone arriving in England from the two countries after 4am on 1 November will need to self-isolate for 14 days.