TOKYO (REUTERS) - Japan will extend a curb on foreigners entering the country beyond year-end to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant, the Yomiuri newspaper reported on Saturday (Dec 18), citing anonymous government sources.

Japan reversed an easing of controls late last month as Omicron spread around the world and has one of the world's strictest border policies.

Although Covid-19 cases have fallen dramatically since a deadly wave in August, there is growing concern about the Omicron variant, which has been found more than 30 times in Japan, mostly during airport screening and quarantine.