Another possibility is that Japan will allow individual foreign tourists to enter the country andexempt them from visas if they have been vaccinated three times or submit a pre-arrival test result. Fly into one airport and out of another Plan to do 4 nights in Singapore on way back to Australia Boosting tourism was core to the late former Prime Minister Abes economic revitalization, and both subsequent prime ministers have indicated their intentions to maintain continuity with those plans. Im so excited and happy for everyone! This was a great place to keep up to date on the happenings. Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) looks forward to welcoming individual inbound travellers back to Japan with the long-awaited lifting of entry restrictions. While the pandemic is still very much a thing, we've largely seen countries start to take the approach of trying to resume "normal" life while living with . That may soon change. Compared with the pre-pandemic level in 2019, it dropped 99.2 percent. Against that economic backdrop, lets take a look at the latest changes to Japans reopening plans. The big one for most of you is likely going to beJapan Face Mask Rules v. Reality in 2023. We have more good news! We mention this in part to own past mistakes, but also as a cautionary tale. Japan Tourism: The decision means Japan will allow in a limited number of foreign tourists on package tours starting June 10. And indeed, there was nothing today, either, or even this year so far because at last the Japan we loved, the Japan that rejected us against sense, science and reason, has finally provided a sensible, responsible option for people like us to enter the country, which was all we ever asked for in the first place. May its borders remain open forevermore. However, as we have seen time and time again, the patently obvious conclusion often is not the outcome reached by Japan. In other words, reopening to international visitors will be important to the health of Japans consumption-driven economy at some point in the not too distant future. TOKYO, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Japan will from Wednesday ease its COVID restrictions on travellers from China, dropping a requirement that everyone take a test for the virus upon arrival, its top government spokesperson said. The country eased border controls . Updated 7 June 2022. Critically, this would eliminate the legal requirement of a responsible receiving party for visitors to Japan. Do I need to do a pre-departure Covid test? Will Japan open borders in 2023? Thatll help you prepare for arrival, and potentially save time at the airport. Speaking of which, check out ourJapan Fall Colors Forecast & Autumn Foliage Viewing Guideto get started on planning your trip to visit Japans popular fall foliage cities, including Kyoto, Tokyo, Mount Fuji, Miyajima, Hiroshima, Himeji, and Nara. More information can be found here . oh wow!! Thats simply a good time to visit Japan and, hopefully, the country will be open to individual tourists by then. Who is currently allowed to travel to Japan? Just open the borders already. . Thanks for the posts, Tom. Thats the sharpest fall on record according to the Japan Tourism Agency. What are testing, face mask, and vaccine requirements for visitors? Best wishes to everyone on your travels!! The government is planning to submit a bill in October, which could give accommodation operators more authority to impose these types of infection control measures. Thats all we need, more authority (power), given to an already power drunk country, to impose more measures on us tourists. (It took a few more days for the guidelines to be released, and the clarifying FAQ isstillbeing updated. It also will see the opening of the TIAD luxury hotel in the buzzy Sakae/Shin-Sakae entertainment districts, after the opening of the art deco hotel The Tower Hotel Nagoya (2020) on the upper levels of Nagoyas TV tower, with the large beams of the tower as a centrepiece within each room. Wow, i cant believe it. The downgrade would pave the way for a normalization of social and economic activities in Japan, and should mean that non-residents are able to enter the country without PCR tests or additional paperwork. Yet despite the wealth of praises I have for Tom, this article and its two-year community, I am so, so glad, perhaps gladder than ever now, that compulsively opening this link in my browser is no longer part of my daily routine. So you can do more than take in Japans captivating culture, history, nature, and cuisine, we are also working hard on projects for sustainable tourism, adventure travel, and luxury travel. With that in mind, lets cover how we got here, why Japan maintains the strictest among the Group of Seven developed nations, and what could cause that to change, Again and again, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has said that Japan will continue to consider how the measures should be by taking into account the infection situations at home and abroad, border control measures taken by other nations, and progress in the rollout of vaccine boosters.. Japan has seasonal attractions in fall and winter. (This number includes hotels used as government quarantine facilities, not just leisure stays.). PP PRITESH C PATEL 10 months ago How about Sept, Oct? For general inquiries about border measures for entry into Japan, please contact the following numbers Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's Call Center Open 9 AM to 9 PM, everyday including weekend and holidays. Thanks to so many of you regular readers and commenters who made the last couple of years easier, shared articles, optimistic/pessimistic updates, and so much more. In terms of the latest news, the current vaccine and testing policies are likely to end on May 8, 2023. We are eager to revisit our favorite places, see friends in Japan for the first time in over two years, and continue creating this sites wealth of free planning resources. Travel Daily - Informing, connecting and developing the worlds travel industry professionals. This becomes increasingly true as the yen weakens due to the Bank of Japan continuing to pursue its loose monetary policy while the United States Federal Reserve, European, and other central banks raise interest rates. First, theres already the realization that unguided tourslike guided tours before themwill not move the needle on inbound tourism in any meaningful way. How do you view the news about guided tours? Beloved for its unique mix of vibrant urban culture and natural beauty, the country is lifting its tight regulations on foreign tourists, according to a tweet Thursday from Taro Kono, Japan's . Do I need to be vaccinated to enter Japan? Travelers from most countries can now enter Japan without applying for a visa in advance. A Hong Kong women's rights group cancelled a demonstration at the last minute on Saturday after police said violent groups might want to join the protest. One of the last closed-border hold-outs is now allowing entry for Australian tourists, with visitors from the rest of the world to follow on May 1. Japan eased its border restrictions last week, raising the daily arrival cap from 20,000 to 50,000 and dropping the requirement for pre-arrival PCR testing for vaccinated travelers. First, after reopening to guided tour groups, Japan reopened to individual tourists on October 11 of last year. We will review all three restrictions together. I am so glad that our community died, and that all of us who were trapped in this purgatory for so long have finally been able to resume our travels, adventures and lifestyles. and executives subscribed to our daily newsletter. Japan has announced it will lift tough Covid restrictions on foreign tourists, reopening the borders after two and a half years. On October 11, Japan will finally open its doors to independent travel following more than two years of some of the world's toughest border restrictions. Economic benefits of international tourists is one big reason why Japan is expected to reopen its border. Except for everyone wearing masks, things seemed mostly back to normal. By contrast,Fuji TV is treating this as a done deal, using less ambiguous language. Marufukuro Located in the former HQ of pop culture behemoth Nintendo, this Kyoto hotel is a stylishly renovated property opened in 2022, featuring a suite of exclusive rooms in a richly storied building, with a special whiskey bar and library showcasing the works of Nintendo pre-Super Mario and then through the ages until now. While I hope to see you around here on future updates, I know that probably wont be the case. As COVID-19's Omicron variant surges around the world, advanced democracies are generally responding vigorously but with lower levels of restrictions on social life and travel than in 2020 and 2021. Hi Tom, Its now the popular position being advanced publicly by politicians, not just being advocated by Keidanren or Japans business lobby. For these two-plus years, weve been closely monitoring the situation in Japan, watching several hours of NHK each day and reading multiple Japanese news sources. For my own peace of mind, could you please confirm that MYSOS form completion will no longer be a necessary requirement for entry into Japan from October 11th when the travel restrictions are lifted? By Lilit Marcus, CNN Published 9:20 PM EDT, Sun July 31, 2022 Link Copied! TEL: 0120-248-668 (Japanese only) . Public opinion polls show that most voters have already moved on from COVID to assorted scandals; the minority who still care will see no immediate increase in cases correlating with the border reopening. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is. Update: As of October 11, 2022, Japan will reopen to individual visitors on a visa-free basis. If you cant respect another countrys Covid policies you shouldnt visit and be an entitled tourist. This will save you significant money on accommodations, attractions, temples, groceries, transportation, and even Michelin-rated restaurants! Japan reopened its borders to independent foreign travelers and reintroduced visa-free entry from October 11, 2022. . Your updates were by far the best I could find on the internet and helped lots of us getting through this (dare I say; emotional) rollercoaster the past several years. The country sealed its borders to most foreign travelers early in the pandemic and has only recently begun to allow a slow drip of students and business people to return a sharp contrast to. Access unmatched financial data, news and content in a highly-customised workflow experience on desktop, web and mobile. We know there are a lot of people overseas who want to come to Japan, Kihara added. Airlines will also be allowed to operate direct flights from China to more Japanese airports, Matsuno said. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government launched a multilingual call center on COVID-19 for foreign residents. Okushibu The nickname given to Deep Shibuya, this secluded strip around Yoyogi and parallel to the new rooftop Miyashita Park, has seen an explosion in late night caf culture, unique eateries and flower shops. Visit Japan Web App also let me pre fill out for immigration and customs, and just use the QR codes for those as well. What is required to travel to Japan and what about visas? That's a hardship for the many. With all of that in mind, we remain cautiously optimistic that individual tourists will be allowed to enter Japan sooner rather than later. China retaliated by suspending the issuing of short-term visas in South Korea and Japan. With this, the visa exemption would be reinstated, making that a non-issue. We were wrongthe unguided tours offered two steps forward but one step backwards. I will be in Japan from the second week of Nov. No doubt I will walk past some of you on here at the customs or one of the many beautiful places in Japan . It will happen soon. Its entirely possible that Kishida sees this polling and his sagging approval numbers and realizes that its time to move forward. Its pretty clear the government is focused on moving forward. At that time, it was unclear whether unguided tourists would be allowed to enter. Ill never forget this amazing, special blog and the unlikely community of shared pain that flourished here for as long as I live. In various updates here, weve been sharing our experiences and what its like as a foreign visitor, what has changed, crowd conditions, expenses of visiting Japan with the weaker yen, and much more. These are questions among those planning trips to Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and this covers the answers.