A nurse puts a used syringe into a box at an Italian Red Cross anti COVID-19 vaccination hub, in Rome, on Nov. 29, 2021. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

       TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan has confirmed its third case of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, the government's top spokesman said Monday.

       A man in his 30s who had traveled to Italy was found to be infected with the heavily mutated variant, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said at a press conference. The man entered Japan through Tokyo's Haneda airport, according to a different government source.

       The man's traveling companion and other passengers seated nearby on the flight have already been identified, Matsuno said.

       Japan confirmed its first domestic case of the Omicron variant on Nov. 30 -- a Namibian diplomat in his 30s. It confirmed a second unrelated case, a man in his 20s who traveled from Peru, the following day.

       Both men tested positive upon arrival at Narita airport near Tokyo.

       The Omicron variant has already been detected in dozens of countries including the United States, Australia and parts of Europe since being first reported by South Africa last month.

       Scientists are rushing to discover whether the highly mutated strain is more transmissible than the existing Delta variant of the coronavirus or able to evade immunity obtained from vaccines or previous infections.

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