Brazil waives visas for visitors from U.S., Canada, Australia, Japan

FILE PHOTO: Tourists visit the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro February 26, 2015. Rio de Janeiro will celebrate its 450th anniversary on March 1. REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes

BRASILIA (Reuters) - The Brazilian government on Monday waived visa requirements for visitors from the United States, Canada, Australia and Japan, a measure to boost tourism that was first temporarily adopted before the Rio Olympics in 2016.

The exemption published in the government's official gazette coincides with President Jair Bolsonaro's visit to Washington this week. The U.S. government is not planning to reciprocate with a visa exemption for Brazilians, according to officials with knowledge of the matter.

(Reporting by Anthony Boadle; Editing by Richard Chang)