Tokyo protests China’s suspension of visa issuance to Japanese

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi expressed Tuesday opposition to China’s decision to suspend the issuing of visas to Japanese travelers and protested through diplomatic channels.

That China decided to “restrict issuing (visas) for reasons besides COVID-19 countermeasures is extremely regrettable,” Hayashi told reporters in Argentina while on a diplomatic trip across the Americas, adding that Japan had requested China repeal the move.

China began suspending the issuance of new visas to Japanese and South Korean travelers the previous day after it said it would respond to countries th...