Japan PM says U.S. military bases to impose tighter COVID-19 controls

FILE PHOTO: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks before the media at his official residence as an extraordinary Diet session was closed, in Tokyo, Japan December 21, 2021. Yoshikazu Tsuno/Pool via REUTERS

TOKYO (Reuters) - The United States has agreed to impose stricter COVID-19 measures at its military bases in Japan, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Sunday, amid concerns that outbreaks at bases have fuelled infection in local communities.

"We have agreed with the United States in principle that unnecessary outings should be controlled and prohibited, and we are discussing specifics now," Kishida said during a debating programme at public broadcaster NHK.