The Japanese government will work closely with the United States and South Korea to analyze North Korea's reasons for demolishing an inter-Korean liaison office.

North Korea blew up the liaison office in the North's border city of Kaesong on Tuesday. The country had slammed Seoul for allowing North Korean defectors to send anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga says the Japanese government will try to make its case to South Korea for Japan's request of a two-week quarantine period for those coming to Japan from South Korea and China.

Suga spoke to reporters on Friday. Seoul lodged a protest against Japan's move.

Japan's transport minister says about half of the flights from China and South Korea will be affected by the government's request to be diverted to Narita or Kansai airports.

All passenger planes from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, and South Korea will only be allowed to land at Narita near Tokyo and Kansai near Osaka. The Japanese government is tightening controls on inbound travelers to curb the number of coronavirus infections.

The Japanese government has begun making arrangements to bar foreign nationals from southern areas of South Korea from entering Japan, in response to the spread of the new coronavirus.

The measure would block the entry of foreign citizens who have stayed in Daegu City and Cheongdo County in North Gyeongsang Province within 14 days of their arrival in Japan, unless they have special reasons.

The Japanese government says it will hold talks with South Korea next month to discuss trade.

The two sides will meet for negotiations on March 10th in Seoul. They previously met in December for the first time in three-and-a-half years.