First Korea-China-Japan Health Ministers' Meeting Since COVID-19 Crisis...Will They Discuss 'Easing Entry Restrictions'?

Ma Xiaowei, Director (Minister) of the National Health Commission of China (photo left), Park Neung-hoo, Minister of Health and Welfare of Korea, and Kato Katsunobu, Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan, are holding hands and posing for a commemorative photo at the Korea-China-Japan Health Ministers' Meeting held in Seoul last December.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] Health authorities of South Korea, China, and Japan will hold a video conference on the 15th regarding the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) situation. This comes about five months after the first COVID-19 case was reported in China at the end of December last year. In Japan, attention is focused on the possibility that the three countries will discuss easing travel restrictions among them.

According to related government departments on the 15th, South Korea’s Minister of Health and Welfare Park Neung-hoo, China’s National Health Commission Director Ma Xiaowei, and Japan’s Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Kato Katsunobu will hold a video conference in the afternoon to share updates on the COVID-19 outbreak and quarantine measures. Although the health ministers of Korea, China, and Japan meet annually to discuss health issues including infectious diseases and maintain consultation channels, it has been difficult to gather all at once due to each country focusing on their own quarantine measures amid the COVID-19 outbreak since early this year. Earlier in March, Japan proposed a trilateral ministerial meeting to Korea and China, to which Korea responded positively.

In Japan, reports have emerged that the meeting will discuss easing travel bans among the three countries. Regarding this, the South Korean government stated, "We cannot confirm specific agenda items for the meeting." As COVID-19 spread globally, human and material exchanges have been restricted, and Korea, China, and Japan have maintained restrictions since late March. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan has banned entry of foreigners who have visited 87 countries including South Korea and China, suspended visa exemption measures, and imposed a two-week quarantine after entry.

China has also temporarily suspended foreign entry since the end of March, except for diplomats, government officials, and business personnel. Beijing and local governments have separate restrictions such as a two-week quarantine after entry. While foreign entry restrictions are decided by each country’s diplomatic and legal authorities, there is a possibility that easing such restrictions, as measures related to the infectious disease outbreak, will be discussed in the health authorities’ meeting.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.