Japan's prime minister says the government is considering easing tight entry restrictions for new foreign arrivals.

"We need to take into account the scientific knowledge that's been gained about the Omicron variant, changes in the infection situation both at home and abroad, and border control measures in place in other countries," Kishida Fumio said on Saturday.

The government re-imposed strict entry restrictions in November when the Omicron variant began to spread around the world.

The measures are scheduled to remain in force through the end of this month.

But business leaders have been calling on the government to review the restrictions because of the effect they're having on social and economic activities.