Japan has reportedly rejected South Korea's proposal of easing coronavirus-related entry restrictions at an earlier date for business people.

Japan's Kyodo News quoted a source at the Japanese Foreign Ministry as saying that South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha made the proposal on Wednesday during a phone conversation with her Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi.

Kang reportedly proposed that the two sides relax restrictions only for business people, but Minister Motegi turned it down, saying it's the top priority to contain the spread of the virus within Japan.

The Tokyo government imposed the entry restrictions linked to the pandemic on South Korea and China in March and have extended the curbs to other countries.