WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. State Department on Monday urged against travel to Japan due to a new wave of COVID-19 infections, issuing a "Do Not Travel" advisory just two months before the Tokyo Olympics are set to take place. 

  The State Department also issued its "Level 4" warning against travel for Sri Lanka amid surging cases of the novel coronavirus there. It saw a lower risk in visiting the Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda , lowering the islands to a "Level 3 – Reconsider Travel" designation. 

  The U.S. warnings come as the Tokyo Olympics are set to get under way July 23, something a top Olympic officials last week said would happen even under a state of emergency after being postponed last year. 

  The State Department guidance did not mention the upcoming Olympic games specifically but warned against visiting the country now. 

  "Travelers should avoid all travel to Japan," the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in new guidance. "Because of the current situation in Japan even fully vaccinated travelers may be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19 variants and should avoid all travel to Japan." 

  (Reporting by Jan Wolfe and Susan Heavey; Editing by Nick Macfie and Alex Richardson) 

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