Sabah has urged Japan to review its travel advisory barring its citizens from visiting islands on the state’s east coast.
Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Christina Liew made the request during a meeting with Japanese Ambassador to Malaysia HE Shikata Noriyuki earlier this week.
Shikata acknowledged the restrictions but said Japan would continue to assess the situation objectively.
“There are still some travel restrictions issued by the Government of Japan. We need to continue to receive the objective assessment of the current situation, and if the situation is deemed to have significantly improved, the Japanese Government could review her policy in an appropriate way,” he said in Kota Kinabalu on Sunday.
Liew noted that while Japan partially lifted the ban in December, allowing travel to Tawau, Sandakan, and Lahad Datu, restrictions on islands off Semporna remain.
She encouraged the ambassador to visit the islands himself.
“Overall, Sabah is a safe destination to visit. The kidnapping incident involving Sipadan Island occurred more than 20 years ago,” she told Shikata.
She also highlighted that foreign ambassadors who attended a Malaysian Home Ministry security briefing last year were impressed by ESSCOM’s security measures in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone).
“Last year, the foreign ambassadors who attended the Malaysian Home Minister’s briefing and security survey of the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone) were impressed by the security measures put in place by the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM). I was with them on the trip,” she said.
Shikata described the meeting as insightful, praising Liew’s efforts in promoting Sabah as a key destination for Japanese tourists.
He called for more publicity on Sabah in Japan, alongside stronger academic ties, with more student exchanges between Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) and Japanese universities.
Liew welcomed the revival of direct flights from Kota Kinabalu to Tokyo and Narita, set to resume on February 24.
Also present at the meeting were the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Datuk Josie Lai and Embassy of Japan Political & Protocol Officer Kana Masubuchi. – February 16, 2025
