Free COVID-19 Tests to Become Available in Tokyo

Tokyo, Dec. 24 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government will make free COVID-19 tests available in Tokyo for anyone who wish to get one, starting Saturday, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Friday.

The decision comes after the discovery of the first community-acquired case of the omicron coronavirus variant in the Japanese capital Friday.

"We'll make free tests available across Tokyo as well as Osaka, Kyoto and Okinawa," Kishida told reporters.

The Tokyo metropolitan government plans to set up about 180 sites next week to test up to some 30,000 people per day.

Kishida asked people to carefully consider whether to return to their hometowns or make trips during the year-end and New Year period, which provides opportunities to have contact with people who they do not often meet.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]