The arrivals cap would also be eliminated in this scenario. The number of people anxiously awaiting Japans reopening is shrinking, not growing. Best wishes to everyone on your travels!! |. Our trips to Japan come in two travel styles: Check out our Small Group Tours departures calendar, Check out our Best of Japan itinerary its perfect as inspiration for a first-time trip. Not sure whether youll ever see this, but just want to let you know that I saw your comment and really appreciate you taking the time to share. You may still need a negative Covid test within 72 hours of flying to Japan (see details below). See details here. That theres more upside than downside risk in reopening and encouraging more economic activity. We uncover the best of the city and put it all in an email for you. When Visa Free Travel to Japan Since October 11, 2022, tourists from countries in the visa waiver program have been able to enter Japan visa-free again. It was finally announced that from October 11, 2022, the borders would be reopening to visa-free tourists. That'll help you prepare for arrival, and potentially save time at the airport. Are borders open as normal in 2023? Contact, Vancouver: Air Canada, ANA, Japan Airlines, American Airlines, Seattle: ANA, Japan Airlines, Delta, American, United, San Francisco: United, American, ANA, Japan Airlines, Los Angeles: Zipair, United, American, ANA, Japan Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Chicago: United, American, ANA, Japan Airlines, Dallas/Fort Worth: American, Japan Airlines, New York: United, American, ANA, Japan Airlines, London: British Airways, ANA, Japan Airlines, Frankfurt: Lufthansa, ANA, Japan Airlines, Finnair, British Airways, Helsinki: Finnair, British Airways, Japan Airlines, Bangkok: Thai, Bangkok Airways, Thai AirAsia X, ZIPAIR, ANA, Japan Airlines, HCMC: Viet Jet Air, Vietname, VietJet Air, ANA, Japan Airlines, Hong Kong: Cathay, Hong Kong Express, ANA, Japan Airlines, Taipei: China Airlines, EVA, Scoot, Starlux, ANA, Japan Airlines, Singapore: Singapore Airlines, ZIPAIR, ANA, Japan Airlines, Seoul: Korean Air, Asiana, Ethiopian, ANA, Japan Airlines, For all the essentials in a brief overview, see my, Check Kyoto accommodation availability on, Need tips on where to stay? The Japanese government has been working on a borders reopening schedule since April 27 to help revive the economy. Second, theres awareness within theKishida administration that the window of opportunity to reopen the border is closing. Before heading to Japan to travel, make sure to check the most up-to-date information. Its thus our view that Japan reopening in some capacity to individual tourists in October is a very realistic scenario. The number has never exceeded 200,000 since the pandemic began. Also as previously mentioned, recent poll data also shows the public is now far less concerned with COVID than the economy, Unification Church scandal, Abes state funeral, and other issues. Fill in your vaccination status and other details on the Visit Japan Web page to skip the airport queues and facilitate a smooth entry into Japan. Learn about the current situation, checklist for tourists, entry restrictions and safety measures before you travel. Then theres the middle ground or base case. In addition to masks, divider screens can still be seen in many establishments. Among fellow G7 countries, Japan has had some of the strictest rules it comes to border restrictions. It now appears that the time is hereor coming very soon. Are you concerned that Japan wont reopen until 2023, or think October is still realistic? Authorities have arrested Australians for working in the entertainment industry while in Japan on tourist visas. History. TOKYO . Which brings us to a threshold issue:when will Japan reopen?This week, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is in New York to deliver an address at the U.N. General [], Your email address will not be published. Please subscribe to our FREE email newsletterand stay tuned if you are curious about how things are on-the-ground for tourists in Japan post-reopening. Travelers from most countries can now enter Japan without applying for a visa in advance. This was a great place to keep up to date on the happenings. As the Japan experts, weve sought all the requirement information directly from Japanese government sources and broken them down into easy-to-understand sections. Here are all the details on visa-free travel, vaccination and Covid test requirements. Aug 31, 2022. Here's a quick breakdown of the details: Only tourists on packaged tours are allowed from June 10 Entry limit updated from 10,000 to 20,000 people per day While the stares have eased, and it is okay to take off the mask at the table, make sure to wear it if you need to use the toilet or even to speak to a waiter. 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. Japan is now allowing foreign nationals to enter Japan for purposes other than tourism so long as they have a sponsor in the country. Then, on September 7th, independent travel became possible, but still needed to be booked through a government-authorised agency and required a visa. While it certainly sounds likethe end is nearfor the Japan travel ban, its premature to have a high degree of confidence. This error message is only visible to WordPress admins, InsideJapan Tours, an award winning travel brand specializing in group tours, tailormade travel and cultural experiences across Japan, Tokaido Trail - the original InsideJapan group tour, DOWNLOAD OUR BRAND NEW 2022/2023 BROCHURE. Some facilities such as museums, aquariums and theme parks require prior booking or a ticket purchase. Japan open for tourism After almost two and a half years of strict Covid-19 protocol and restrictions, this is a major shift in policy. At that time, it was unclear whether unguided tourists would be allowed to enter. Or, that this barrier does still exist and Japan will have to create a solution for it (travel insurance?) 0:49. Thatll help you prepare for arrival, and potentially save time at the airport. The country has also dropped its daily cap of 50,000 arrivals and its list of permitted countries, with visitors from all countries and regions now being accepted. As the Japan experts, weve sought all the requirement information directly from Japanese government sources and broken them down into easy-to-understand sections. From 11th October 2022, visa-free travel resumed and all arrival caps were removed as well. 1. The Japanese governmentis now looking to capitalise on huge demand from travellers to visit without booking through an agency, especially as the weak yen means that travel to Japan is currently cheaper than it has been for many years. What were those, you ask? If the plan goes ahead, it would mark a major shift in Japans border restrictions, which have been conservative compared with those of fellow Group of Seven members. Compared with the pre-pandemic level in 2019, it dropped 99.2 percent. 2023 Yosemite Firefall Viewing Guide: Best Dates, Reservations Info & Face Masks in Japan: Rules v. Reality (2023), Please subscribe to our FREE email newsletter, Japan Fall Colors Forecast & Autumn Foliage Viewing Guide, Tokyo Disneyland 40th Anniversary 'Dream-Go-Round' Details, New Parade & Japan Reopening Disney Tourist Blog The KKK News. You all made the (repeated) cancellations and premature excitement a bit more bearable. With the ever-changing rules, it's hard to keep up with which countries are open for study, work, and tourism. Do you or anyone here know if we need this after Oct. 11? If you cant respect another countrys Covid policies you shouldnt visit and be an entitled tourist. P.s. It aint over till its over.pls see my recent post which I HOPE isnt accurate and just some fake news, but Reuters is pretty accurate. Moreover, how this played out with Japans last announcement is also instructive. Guided trips also had to be booked through a government-, , independent travel became possible, but still needed to be booked through a government-, However, as we mentioned above, from October 11, onwards fully independent, visa-free travel, Yes! Published Feb. 18, 2022 Updated Feb. 28, 2022. Multiple media outlets, including NHK, Kyodo, Nikkei, and Fuji TV are all reporting thatJapansgovernment is planning to further relax restrictions and border measures with an eye to implementing the revisions by the start of October. Economists fear a double dip recession in Japan due to the prolonged closures and restrictions. Despite the aforementioned numbers, Japan is maintaining its goal of attracting 60 million foreign visitors by 2030. From October 11, 2022, almost all restrictions are to be lifted. our decades of expertise, 24/7 support and tried-and-tested safety protocols in the unlikely event of Covid-related travel disruptions during your trip. Several recent updates have centered around Japans internal debate over whether tostrip COVID-19 of its special status and downgrade it to the same level as the flu in Japans infectious disease categories. Save. Statements by politicians and medical advisors, gradual border relaxation measures, and other changes could be interpreted as Japan laying thegroundwork for a resumption of normalcy and the countrys eventual reopening. It thus stands to reason that opening to individual tourists necessarily needs to occurthat raising the entry cap will do nothing in furtherance of their stated goal. Lets have a look at the measures that are still in place, despite the reopening of borders. Japan's struggling tourism sector sees a light at the end of the tunnel as "self-guided" tours make way for full travel. Those reading regular updates on Japans reopening are not representative of international travelers at large. Here are cities with direct flights to Japan and the airlines that operate them. In Japan, customers are expected to sanitize their hands when entering shops and restaurants. Ive missed it so much. On Tuesday, the country. Asia Welcomes Travelers, but Japan Says, Not Yet Countries across region are reopening borders to tourists, but Japan continues to turn them away. 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. Spending another night in Okinawa for the 55th stay of my ongoing 87-day adventure across Japan, I absent-mindedly typed the letter J into my web browser, only to have this article come up as the first suggestion. Japan is open to travel. This is a major policy shift and will relaxif not eliminate entirelyJapans intensive COVID-19 countermeasures, including limiting the movements of infected people and their close contacts. And the country is not rushing to change. This indicates that Japan is finally ready to move forward and sets the precedent for future changes during waves. For more than two years, Japan's borders remained closed to tourists. mean getting rid of the mask. Think the need to adapt and live with the endemic virus will outweigh fear when it comes to Japans reopening plans? Here is a useful link for the latest coronavirus numbers on Japan: Disclosure: InsideKyoto.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com and amazon.co.uk. Ready for the trip of a lifetime? Is Japan open for internationalindividual travelers? We will update this page as information changes. This is the first step in our gradual easing of the [border] restrictions, Kishida has said. Let's have a proper look at what has changed for those planning to travel to Japan in 2022 and what to expect when you finally do get here. This may mean the end of the vaccination-or-test requirement, as well as the indoor masking recommendation. "We will lift the ceiling of the . However, if youve received any fewerjabs than three, youll need to show a negative test taken within 72 hours of departure for Japan. The Japan Times LTD. All rights reserved. Most read in 2022 Japan's reopening, war in Ukraine -- our 12 most read stories of 2022. Life in the country is normal, everything is open, but there are only a tiny proportion of international visitors, especially without tourists from neighbouring China. This is despite Japans Go to Travel campaign that subsidized domestic travel, which was offered at various times during the last two years. In addition to masks, divider screens can still be seen in many establishments. Japan welcomed about 32 million foreign visitors in 2019 and had been on track to achieve its goal of 40 million in 2022, said Ejaz Ahmed, a research analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit,. In many places, customers should browse the menu via a QR code. In terms of the latest news, the current vaccine and testing policies are likely to end on May 8, 2023. Im heading to Tokyo for the first time in 3.5 years on October 23rd and I cant wait! Travel agencies eye discounts for those vaccinated for COVID-19. In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing, you can help us get the story right. On Thursday, Kishida announced that Japan will resume visa-free entry for individual travelers on October 11. Visit our main site to read more about this topic or contact one of our specialists. There is no requirement for arrival testing regardless of vaccination status. From June 10th 2022, Japan opened to escorted tours. var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; Since October 11th, 2022, people who travel from countries with a former visa-waiver agreement with Japan have been able to travel to Japan freely again! Some independent shops namely those with a more international customer base have notices saying that it is okay to not wear masks, but these places are rare. Im so excited and happy for everyone! The rest of 2022 offers a rare chance to experience Japan before the crowds return in 2023. 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. That this would be achieved in such an unexpected setting on the comments section of a single article on a white-and-orange travel blog, which came to accumulate nearly 3,000 comments as though it were a 2000s-era forum feels almost too ridiculous to be true. If you're not sure how to activate it, please refer to this site. It also intends to abolish the daily arrival cap, which is currently set at 50,000, the report added. Heres what you need to know. Ill never forget this amazing, special blog and the unlikely community of shared pain that flourished here for as long as I live. Both of these statements are reassuring given the current border closures, and indicate that Japan will unwind its travel ban in months, not years. Thats simply a good time to visit Japan and, hopefully, the country will be open to individual tourists by then. Hospitalizations and mortality remain relatively low. The reopening to tourism was very slow and gradual, but there are not any constraint anymore and anyone can travel freely to Japan. Try another? Domestic hurdles: the possible come back of GoTo Travel and July's election. for individual tourists. Why Expecting Japan's Reopening to Tourism Before Summer 2022 at Best is Unrealistic. If you want a copy of thistotally freeeBook and Japan reopening updates, all you need to do issubscribe to our newsletter! Ive been following since the very beginning and only started actually posting at the very end, but I want you to know how grateful I am that your blog existed as truly the gold standard for Japan-related travel blogs throughout the pandemic. Arrival testing regardless of vaccination status, its premature to have a high of... Another countrys Covid policies you shouldnt visit and be an entitled tourist amazing! 3.5 years on October 23rd and I cant wait do issubscribe to FREE. 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