US tells citizens to avoid travel to Japan due to Covid outbreak

Move comes amid preparations in Tokyo for the Olympics, which are due to be held from 23 July despite a raging fourth wave

The US has urged its citizens to avoid all travel to Japan, where concern is rising over new variants of the coronavirus, but officials insist the move will not complicate preparations for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

The state department on Monday issued its highest Level 4 travel warning for Japan, where a month-long state of emergency has helped reduce cases in Tokyo but failed to have a significant impact on the country's fourth wave of Covid-19 infections.