The decision followed results of COVID-19 tests on travellers from China in recent days and similar measures by other countries, he said.
A Japanese health ministry tally shows 53 of 56 international travellers who tested positive for COVID-19 on arrival at airports on Tuesday were from China.
That compared with Monday’s figure, when all 26 visitors with positive test results were from China.
Most European Union nations favour pre-departure testing for travellers from China, the European Commission said on Tuesday.
Beijing has described as “discriminatory” such curbs, also imposed by South Korea and the United States, among others.
Separately, Japan’s foreign ministry said direct flights from Hong Kong and Macao would be allowed to land at airports other than Narita and Haneda near Tokyo, Kansai near Osaka and Chubu near Nagoya, easing curbs ordered last week.
Airlines must still hold down additional flights from Hong Kong and the gambling hub of Macao even after the list of destination airports widens on Sunday, the ministry added.
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