Two months before the Summer Olympics in Japan, the US State Department has issued a warning against traveling to the country in view of the spread of the coronavirus. The warning level for travel was raised to the highest level of four on Monday. This is based on the classification of the infection rate in Japan by the US health authority CDC, according to which there is currently a "very high" spread of the virus there. Even fully vaccinated travelers could become infected in Japan and thereby spread variants of the virus, the health authority said. "Travelers should avoid traveling to Japan," it said.

Because of the corona pandemic, the US State Department currently sees the highest warning level ("do not travel", in German: "Do not travel") in many countries, including Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Japan had previously been in category three, which only advises against travel.

The State Department's travel advice is not legally binding - US citizens and athletes can continue to travel to such countries at their own risk despite the travel warning.

Japan is currently struggling with a fourth corona wave, although the government has already extended the emergency for Tokyo and other regions again.

The Olympic Games had already been postponed for a year because of the pandemic.