Beijing: China has resumed issuing ordinary visas to Japanese citizens after halting the procedure earlier in January, the Chinese Embassy in Japan said on Sunday.

"Beginning today, the Chinese embassy and consulates in Japan will resume issuing ordinary visas for Japanese citizens traveling to China," the statement read.

China stopped issuing ordinary visas to Japanese citizens on January 10 in connection with Tokyo's "discriminatory" requirement for Chinese travelers to submit negative PCR tests.

In particular, on December 30, Japan announced stricter quarantine measures for those arriving from China.

In December, China's government started to gradually ease its "zero tolerance" policy toward COVID-19 cases, which had been the strictest in the world for almost three years.

On January 8, obligatory PCR testing and centralized isolation for people arriving in China were cancelled.

At the same time, the country faces an increase in COVID-19 infections, forcing a number of countries, including the United States, Italy, Japan, and South Korea to tighten measures against passengers arriving from China.

(With UNI/Sputnik inputs)