The Japanese government has decided to suspend new entries of foreign nationals in an effort to stop the influx of a new coronavirus variant.

The new strain has been spreading outside Japan in at least 14 countries and one territory. It is believed to be more contagious than the original virus.

The Japanese government has tightened its rules for travelers from South Africa, where a new variant of the coronavirus was detected.

Japan started refusing arrivals from South Africa on Saturday. Japanese and non-Japanese who have resident status in Japan are allowed entry. But they are being asked to self-quarantine for 14 days on arrival in the country.

Japan's health ministry says it will tighten entry restrictions on travelers from South Africa in response to the spread there of a relatively highly contagious variant of the new coronavirus. The ministry officials say that the stepped-up measures will take effect on Saturday.

They say Japan will refuse new entrants from South Africa for the time being. They added Japanese and non-Japanese who have residential status in Japan will be asked to self-quarantine for 14 days when they enter the country.

The Japanese government says it will tighten entry restrictions on travelers from the United Kingdom, in response to the spread there of what is said to be a highly contagious variant of the new coronavirus.

Some neighboring countries have banned passenger flights from Britain.

A bus service has been launched to transport international travelers from Haneda and Narita airports directly to hotels in Tokyo, as part of an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

The Airport Transport Service started offering the direct bus routes on Wednesday. It is providing three trips a day from the airports to 12 hotels in Tokyo. Travelers who will stay at the hotels are eligible to use the service. Advance booking is required. Fares cost about 39 dollars from Narita and about 14 dollars from Haneda.

NHK has learned that Japan's transport ministry and a railway operator have drawn up a proposal allowing people arriving from overseas to use the train to leave Narita Airport near Tokyo.

The government is currently asking arrivals from abroad to avoid using public transportation and instead arrange their own vehicles to leave the airport, even if they test negative for the coronavirus.

The commander of US forces in Japan has directed incoming personnel to take a coronavirus test before leaving a mandatory 14-day period of restricted movement upon arrival in the country.

The commander made the announcement on Friday, when it was confirmed that there have been 189 infections across US military facilities in Japan to date.

All arrivals to Japan from China are now required to complete a questionnaire from the health ministry as part of an increased effort to stop the spread of the deadly new coronavirus.

The ministry started distributing the questionnaire on Saturday to everyone coming into the country, regardless of whether they have symptoms or not.

Japan's health ministry will ask all arrivals from China to fill out a survey inquiring about stays in the Chinese city of Wuhan and any health problems they may have.

Passengers will receive the questionnaire aboard flights and ships from China, whether or not they have symptoms suspected to be related to a new coronavirus.