The United States advised not to travel to the Olympic host Japan due to a surge in COVID-19.

The U.S. issued a travel warning to Americans, citing an increase in COVID-19 infections in Japan, which will host the Olympics in two months.

The U.S. Department of State issued a travel warning for Japan on May 24, 2021, mentioning an increase in COVID-19 incidents. The department also released a "Level 4" travel alert for Sri Lanka, noting a rise in the number of infections, and downgraded Antigua and Barbuda in the Caribbean to "Level 3 – Reconsider Travel," citing a lower chance of infection.

The "Do Not Travel" alert and advice for Japan did not particularly mention the Olympics but advised against visiting the country at this time. Following a postponement of the Olympics due to the pandemic in 2020, a top Olympic official announced that the Games would start on July 23 as scheduled, despite the country's emergency status.

In new advice, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also advises travelers to stop traveling to Japan. Because of the current situation in Japan, even fully vaccinated travelers may be at risk of transmitting COVID-19 variants. Hence, all travel to Japan should be avoided.

Reference links

U.S. Department of State

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Reuters

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The Washington Post

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