Monday, 8 March 2021 The Asia and Oceania Olympic and Paralympic Continental Qualification Regatta is to proceed as planned in May after World Rowing received assurances that athletes will be allowed to enter Japan to take part. The Japanese Government has told World Rowing and the Japan Rowing Association that foreign delegations will be permitted to enter the country come May - something that is not currently allowed. Japan's border has been largely shut in response to the coronavirus pandemic, but authorities plan to allow athletes to visit in the coming months ahead of the Olympics and Paralympics. Foreign athletes had previously been given special dispensation to visit Japan, but this was stopped when new variants of COVID-19 were detected in the country.