The Foreign Ministry upgraded Thursday its travel warning for Toronto, adding it to the growing list of areas that Japanese travelers are advised to avoid due to the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome.

Late Wednesday, the warning for China's Shanxi Province was similarly upgraded.

The ministry urged travelers to reconsider their plans, recommending postponing "unnecessary and not urgent" trips to these destinations. The previous warning issued for these areas had been to "exercise caution" when traveling -- the lowest warning on the ministry's four-grade scale.

On Wednesday, the World Health Organization recommended that travelers postpone nonessential travel to Beijing, Shanxi Province and Toronto.

Japan's travel warning for Beijing was upgraded Tuesday, while those for China's Guangdong Province and Hong Kong were raised on April 3, a day after the WHO issued a similar advisory.

Meanwhile, JTB Corp. said Thursday it will halt its package tours bound for Toronto and Shanxi Province until May 14 in accordance with the ministry advisory.

Tour participants will be transferred to other places, including Niagara Falls, immediately after they arrive in Toronto, the company said.

Other travel agencies, including Kinki Nippon Tourist Co. and Nippon Travel Agency Co., are considering halting their tours.