Yomiuri, Mainichi, Nikkei, and Sankei wrote that Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga told reporters on Monday that Japan denied the entry of a total of eight foreigners on Saturday and Sunday to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. Last Friday Japan invoked a provision in the immigration control law to prohibit beginning on Saturday the entry of foreigners who have stayed in China’s Hubei Province within two weeks of their arrival even if they do not show symptoms. Mainichi wrote that although Suga said that five people were denied entry on Saturday and three on Sunday, he did not disclose their nationalities or other information. Yomiuri and Sankei quoted Health Minister Kato as telling a Lower House Budget Committee session on Monday that it may become necessary for the government to be more flexible in implementing preventive measures if the number of coronavirus patients increases and the virus spreads further. The papers interpreted this remark to mean that Japan might expand the scope of the entry ban beyond Hubei.