Beijing has lifted its suspension on issuing short term visas for Japanese citizens, which had been adopted in response to Tokyo strengthening COVID-19 measures on Chinese arrivals, but the suspension remains in place for South Korean citizens. 

The Chinese embassy in Japan said on Sunday that the issuance of general visas for Japanese citizens by the embassy and the Chinese consulate in Japan resumed earlier in the day. 

The decision came 19 days after China suspended issuing visas to South Korea and Japan in a retaliatory response to the two countries imposing entry restrictions against Chinese arrivals due to a resurgence of COVID-19 in the country. China also suspended transit visa exemptions for South Korean and Japanese citizens in an additional retaliatory measure. 

China reportedly plans to keep its reprisal against South Korea in place for the time being, with Yonhap News quoting an official from the Chinese embassy in Seoul as saying that no change has been made yet on its measures against Koreans. 

Seoul suspended short-term visa issuance for travelers from China on January 2 and recently extended the measure until the end of next month. Although Tokyo did not suspend visa issuance for Chinese arrivals, it made it mandatory for Chinese arrivals to submit a negative PCR test result taken within 72 hours before departure.