South Korea to suspend visa waivers, existing visas for Japanese from March 9

South Korea's foreign ministry said it will halt visa waivers for Japan as a countermeasure to travel restrictions imposed by Tokyo.

"From March 9, the visa waivers for Japan and the validity of existing visas will be suspended," Vice Foreign Minister Cho Sei-young said in a media briefing.

Seoul will also impose special procedures, including medical checkups, on all Japanese, the ministry added.

It comes one day after Tokyo rolled out new travel restrictions that require travelers from China and South Korea to be quarantined for two weeks in designated areas upon arrival in Japan. They are also prohibited from using public transportation.

South Korea's foreign ministry has earlier expressed "strong regret" over the decision, saying it hoped Japan would have "sufficiently" consulted Seoul before making the decision.

China's foreign ministry Friday said the restrictions are understandable as long as they are scientific, professional and appropriate and do not exceed reasonable limits.