The government on Monday completely lifted its overseas travel alert for Japanese nationals over the coronavirus pandemic, following the end of the World Health Organization's COVID-19 emergency.

Japan initially issued the advisory in January 2020 for those who traveled to China, setting it at Level 1, the lowest on its four-point scale. The Foreign Ministry expanded it worldwide in March that year.

At one point, 159 nations and areas received a Level 3 advisory, which warned people to avoid traveling to them.

Since October last year, the government had maintained a Level 1 alert, which advises travelers to "stay fully alert," for the entire world.

Citing a decline of deaths and cases involving serious symptoms, the World Health Organization declared Friday that the pandemic no longer constitutes a public health emergency of international concern.

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