Pre-entry tuberculosis checks planned for some long-stay foreigners

Japan plans to introduce mandatory pre-arrival tuberculosis screening for people from some countries planning mid- to long-term stays from next fiscal year, health minister Keizo Takemi said Thursday.

The targeted countries are expected to be China, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines and Vietnam, with most foreign nationals diagnosed with the infectious disease while in Japan coming from those six nations, according to a source familiar with the matter.

The screening requirement will apply to those who hold citizenship of the countries and normally reside in them and who plan to stay l...