The United States on Monday advised its citizens against traveling to Japan over concerns surrounding COVID-19, two months before the start of the Tokyo Olympics on July 23.
The State Department raised its travel advisory for Japan and Sri Lanka to "Level 4: Do Not Travel," the most restrictive category.
"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 4 Travel Health Notice for Japan due to COVID-19, indicating a very high level of COVID 19 in the country," the State Department posted on its website.
Top Japanese officials on Tuesday said they did not expect the U.S. move to affect the Tokyo Olympics, but U.S. support for the delayed Games was unchanged.
"At present, we can see no particular impact," Olympic Minister Tamayo Marukawa told a news conference.
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said Japan was in close contact with the U.S. government. "There is absolutely no change in the United States' support for Japan's decision to hold the Olympics, we believe," Kato said.
Ten Japanese prefectures are under a state of emergency now due to a spike in COVID-19 cases.
(With input from Xinhua and Reuters)