Sri Lanka, Nov. 29 -- Japan said on Monday it would bar entry to foreigners to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant of coronavirus, joining Israel in the strictest border measures yet since the variant's discovery.

"In order to avoid a worst-case scenario and as an emergency precautionary measure, Japan will first of all ban the entry of foreigners into the country from midnight on Nov. 30," Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters.

Japanese returnees from a number of specified nations would have to quarantine in designated facilities, he added.

The move marked a rapid escalation of restrictions since Friday when Japan said it would tighten border controls on people arriving from six African nations.

It comes just a few weeks ...