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A6 WORLD NEWS
Monday 30 January 2023

China announces resumption of visas for Japanese

By MARI YAMAGUCHI Last Friday, South Korea
Associated Press said it would keep the
TOKYO (AP) — China an- measure in place through
nounced it was resum- the end of February over
ing issuing visas for Japa- concerns that the spread
nese travelers beginning of COVID-19 in China may
Sunday, ending its nearly worsen following Lunar
three-week suspension in New Year travel.
an apparent protest of To- Health authorities in China
kyo’s tougher COVID-19 have said infections have
entry requirements for tour- peaked but there are con-
ists from China. cerns abroad that Beijing
The decision was an- was not sharing enough
nounced in a statement data. The latest wave of in-
posted on the Chinese Em- fections in Japan appears
bassy’s website. to be subsiding in recent
China stopped issuing new weeks, with confirmed
visas in Japan on Jan. 10 daily cases falling to about
in apparent retaliation for one-fifth of the peak in ear-
Tokyo’s requirement of ad- ly January.
ditional tests for Chinese Japan’s government last
tourists in late December, week announced plans to
ahead of Lunar New Year downgrade COVID-19 to
holidays. Japan cited soar- The Chinese Embassy is pictured in Tokyo on Jan. 11, 2023. an equivalent of seasonal
ing infections in China af- (Kazushi Kurihara/Kyodo News via AP, File) influenza in May, a move
ter it abruptly eased coro- ders for individual tourists in Burt on Dec. 30, Japan re- China also stopped issuing that would further relax
navirus restrictions as well October, allowing travelers quired all travelers from Chi- visas to South Koreans after mask wearing and other
as scarce COVID-19 data with proof of vaccination na to show pre-departure South Korea in early Janu- preventive measures as the
from Beijing. instead of testing at airports negative tests and take an ary did the same for short- country seeks to return to
Japan reopened its bor- unless they show symptoms. additional test upon arrival. term travelers from China. normalcy.q

Erdogan might approve Finland’s NATO bid, ‘shock’ Sweden

dicated that Turkey might Pro-Kurdish groups have Turkey also strongly con-
sign off on only Finland. waved the flags of the PKK demned far-right activist
“If needed, we could give and its affiliates during pro- Rasmus Paludan’s burning
a different message about tests in Sweden organized of the Quran last weekend
Finland. Sweden will be as a response to Sweden in Stockholm, which he re-
shocked when we give the and Finland’s promise to peated in Copenhagen
different message about prevent the PKK’s activities Friday. Ankara summoned
Finland.” Erdogan said to a in their countries in order to the Dutch ambassador af-
group of young people in gain Turkey’s approval for ter another far-right activist
Bilecik province. their NATO memberships. tore pages of the Quran in
Turkey has accused the Erdogan said he told the the Hague.
government in Stockholm Swedish prime minister, Following last week’s pro-
of being too lenient toward “You will extradite these tests, Erdogan warned
groups it deems as terror terrorists if you really want Sweden not to expect sup-
organizations or existen- to enter NATO. port for its membership bid
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan waves to the crowd tial threats, including Kurd- If you don’t extradite these for the military alliance. Tur-
during a welcome ceremony in Sarajevo, Bosnia, on Sept. 6, ish groups. NATO requires terrorists, then sorry.” He key also indefinitely post-
2022. unanimous approval of its said Turkey had provided poned a key meeting in
(AP Photo/Armin Durgut, File) existing members to add a list of 120 people it wants Brussels that would have
new ones, but Erdogan’s extradited from Sweden, a discussed Sweden and Fin-
By ZEYNEP BILGINSOY ish Embassy in Sweden, government has said it demand that was part of land’s NATO membership.
Associated Press where an anti-Islam activist would only agree to admit a memorandum signed in The Turkish foreign ministry
ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkey’s burned the Quran and pro- Sweden if the country met June that averted Turkey’s urged its citizens to take
president has suggested his Kurdish groups protested its conditions. veto of the Nordic nations’ precautions and stay away
country might approve Fin- against Turkey. The events In its travel warning to citi- joint application. from demonstration areas
land’s application for NATO stiffened Turkey’s refusal so zens, the Turkish foreign Turkey is demanding the in Europe. It also said they
membership before taking far to ratify Sweden’s NATO ministry cited an increase extradition of alleged PKK should go to local authori-
any action on Sweden’s, bid. in anti-Turkish protests by militants as well as some ties if they face xenopho-
while the Turkish govern- Sweden and Finland ap- “groups with links to terror followers of Fethullah Gu- bic or racist attacks.
ment issued a travel warn- plied jointly to become groups,” a reference to the len, the Muslim cleric ac- In a separate advisory, the
ing for European countries members of the military al- Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or cused of the 2016 attempt- ministry also urged Turk-
due to anti-Turkish demon- liance, dropping their long- PKK, which has waged a ed coup. In December, the ish citizens to be vigilant in
strations and what it de- standing military nonalign- decades-long insurgency Swedish Supreme Court the United States in case of
scribed as Islamophobia. ment following Russia’s against Turkey. Along with said the country cannot protests in response to the
The travel warning pub- war on Ukraine. In a prere- Turkey, the European Union extradite Bulent Kenes, the fatal beating by Memphis,
lished late Saturday fol- corded video of an event and United States also des- former editor-in-chief of a Tennessee, police of Tyre
lowed demonstrations last released Sunday, President ignate the PKK as a terror newspaper linked to Gulen, Nichols, an unarmed Black
weekend outside the Turk- Recep Tayyip Erdogan in- group. angering Turkey. man.q