The Japanese government said on Friday that it will tighten restrictions on Japanese nationals and residents arriving from India, Pakistan and Nepal, amid concerns over the surge of highly transmissible COVID-19 variants in the three nations.

The stricter measures will come into effect starting Monday, the government said, and will involve requiring passengers arriving from any of the three countries to stay in quarantine facilities designated by the government for six days.

PCR tests will be conducted on the passengers on days three and six, according to the government's new guidelines.

The number of coronavirus cases has risen sharply in Pakistan and Nepal in recent weeks, as their neighbor India is undergoing a full-blown second wave of the deadly virus.