Japan finally opened its borders to tourists on Friday, but with strict rules. This could be due to a conflict with your ad-blocking or security software. From June 10th 2022, Japan opened to escorted tours. 28-year-old woman picked to be astronaut by Japans space agency, J. While the daily number of arrivals was higher pre-closure, we assumed that 50,000 is the level at which this cap becomes immaterial with China still sidelined. To say it one last time cheers, Tom. We offer (genuinely small) Small Group Tours with the worlds best Japan guides, passionate Japanophiles who live in the country, speak the language and will bring the culture to life for you. But Japans border opening approach? Obviously, the easing has to occur at some point and this lag will always play out, but the notion that this moves the needle for fall is misguided. Thanks for subscribing! Children traveling with triple-vaxxed (ie, boosted) parents are exempt from the pre-departure Covid test requirement, whether or not theyve been vaccinated. Guidelines for tourist attractions are straightforward. 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. Why Expecting Japan's Reopening to Tourism Before Summer 2022 at Best is Unrealistic. 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. Up until now, the government has eased access to the country in baby steps amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Thats the sharpest fall on record according to the Japan Tourism Agency. But whatever winter wave occurs (and onewillhappen), thats unlikely to be an obstacle to reopening progress, as was the case last year. Required fields are marked *, Free Money-Saving eBook & Japan Email Updates, https://www.travelcaffeine.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/mount-fuji-sunrise-field-autumn-foliage-japan-bricker.jpg, https://www.travelcaffeine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/travel-caffeine-new-logo-2.jpg, Is Japan Open to Tourists? May all our trips be everything we dreamt of and more. Ready for the trip of a lifetime? Thanks again for all the work you put into this. Re: Will Japan will re-open fully to tourists before October? Japan Tourism: The decision means Japan will allow in a limited number of foreign . Visit Japan Web App also let me pre fill out for immigration and customs, and just use the QR codes for those as well. October. Its says a lot about Japan is a socially conscious society that so many individuals choose to wear masks even without mandates in place! Putting aside how I obviously need to be clearing my web history more often, it all feels so surreal now that is, how religiously I checked this comments section for news on Japan not even half a year prior, a somewhat embarrassing fact that Firefox is keen to remind me of. Japan also began allowing unguided tours, meaning ones not accompanied by tour conductors. 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. Japan is always magical, but if you like to have the magic all to yourself, 2022 could be a once in a lifetime opportunity! Im so excited and happy for everyone! We have more good news! This is specifically forunguided tour groups or non-escorted visitors on package tours andnotindividual tourists. Essentially, there will be no (legal) basis for the current border protocol effective May 8, 2023. In other words, a free-roaming backpacking trip around Japan is now on the cards! Compared with the pre-pandemic level in 2019, it dropped 99.2 percent. Borders were reopening, but visitor numbers were capped at 50,000 per day, movement was severely restricted, and travelers required a visa and health insurance to visit. All others must show such proof. Read on to find out about the current atmosphere in the country. It doesnt matter if you have just squirted it on at the shop next door, one minute ago. Economists fear a double dip recession in Japan due to the prolonged closures and restrictions. Visit Japan (@Visit_Japan) September 22, 2022 If the prime minister's announcement is followed, then from October 11, individual tourists will once again be able to travel to Japan. During the Bloomberg New Voices panel,Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said she would open the countrys doors tomorrow if it were her decision. (February 2023 Update). Istanbul is one of the most important tourism spots not only in Turkey but also in the world. Here are all the details on visa-free travel, vaccination and Covid test requirements. That'll help you prepare for arrival, and potentially save time at the airport. 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. These leaks came after Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiji Kihara spoke on Fuji TV over the weekend and stated thatJapan will consider easing all three restrictionsthe daily arrival cap, ban on individual tourists, and visa requirements. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida reportedly plans to make a decision as early as the end of this week, according to the news outlets sources. "We will lift the ceiling of the . Its made it slightly more bearable having a community to discuss all the news coming out of Japan especially since group tours first became a reality. Posted: Mar 31, 2022 / 10:45 PM HST. We already have this email. From October 11, 2022, almost all restrictions are to be lifted. You will be free to make your own choices where masks are not advised we wouldnt recommend choosing not to wear one where they are advised. If you're not sure how to activate it, please refer to this site. On Thursday, Kishida announced that Japan will resume visa-free entry for individual travelers on October 11. Wherever you choose! To learn more see our FAQ, Rust belt province got old before it got rich, as much of China will. Here are 7 of the new tourist attractions that are opening in Japan in 2022! As governor of Tokyo, that would be tomorrow.. Japan To Open Borders From June 10 To Aid Hobbled Tourism Industry: Report . The short version is that it is possible to enter, regardless of whether youre vaccinated or unvaccinated, albeit with a testing requirement for the latter. HTJ said Japan is currently open for travel, but for those who have a visa or are an exchange . InUnguided Tours in Japan Reopening Phase Rules, we cover what this entails and the recently-released guidelines and FAQ for these tours. 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. 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. (See above 'Latest News') Short-term travelers to Japan will be allowed to enter Japan without a visa. 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. Coronavirus . Japan eased its border restrictionslast week, raising the daily arrival cap from 20,000 to 50,000 and dropping the requirement for pre-arrival PCR testing for vaccinated travelers. Visa-free travel is possible for all countries that originally had this arrangement with Japan, which includes countries like Australia, New Zealand, the UK, most of Europe, the US and Canada. See our, If you are boosted with a Covid vaccine, you do not need a negative Covid test before flying to Japan. Any thoughts or tips of your own to add? obsolete information. Naoko Kutty. japan, . What were those, you ask? Plus:youll soon be able to spend six weeks in Thailand, visa-free. Thanks, [] to individual tourists for the duration of the festivities. The rules for. 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. Some places expect more self-service, such as helping yourself to water, though this can change from one establishment to another. Japan Airlines planes at Narita International Airport: EQRoy / Shutterstock.com. }(document, "script", "aweber-wjs-adqosrqps")); If youre planning a visit to Japan, our recommendation at this point is to target sometime in November at the earliest. We recommend checking with the facilities you want to visit before heading out. Japan needs more than just new visa options to attract highly skilled workers, Japan to rename sex crime to highlight illegality of nonconsensual intercourse, How the Russia-Ukraine war has changed Japans economic outlook, Japan moves toward approving abortion pill in major shift, Walking 5,000-7,000 steps each day is enough for greater longevity, Japanese study finds. But I was there from the beginning, first as a lurker and then eventually as a participant, so I know precisely how it came to be. While Japan is keeping in place its quarantine system for arrivals from a list of at-risk countries, no countries are actually currently on that list. See my one page guide, Buy a data-only SIM card online for collection when you arrive at, Compare Japan flight prices and timings to, If you're visiting more than one city, save a ton of money with a. Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has offered new guidance that we're covering in Japan Reopening to Individual Tourists: FAQ, Rules & Guidelines. However, Japan is now joining the rest of the world as people are ready to move on with life. 2022. That would mean individual tourists would not be welcomed back to Japan until sometime in the first half of 2023. Again, if youd like to be notified as soon as more details are released or rumored, subscribe to ourfree email newsletter for ongoing updates and alerts: (function(d, s, id) { Critically, this would eliminate the legal requirement of a responsible receiving party for visitors to Japan. Finally, the worst-case scenario is that Japan instead opts to revive its Go to Travel campaign just in time for fall colors season, and uses that to buoy the tourism sector through December. Japan has seasonal attractions in fall and winter. I was there for 11 days, mostly in Tokyo, and also to the bullet train to Sanjo (near Niigata) for a couple of days, and also a day trip to Mount Fuji with a driver/guide. Its akin to the experience we had when we started InsideJapan in the year 2000, back when the idea of Kyoto being over-touristed seemed impossible. 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 . Thanks for all the updates and helpful info during this stressful and hard time, Tom!! Trying a bit of everything is the best way to get beneath the surface of this fascinating country. Cant wait! Who knowsit still may take until early 2023 to fully downgrade the legal status of COVID. The ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party recognizes these problems and realizes it needs to rebuild Japans economy. Its possible the country views this as sufficient for tourism businesses to stave off bankruptcy or other financial hardship for another few months. Decreased tourism plus falling exports, an increased consumption tax, reduced consumer spending, weak yen, and growing national debt. It was finally announced that from October 11, 2022, the borders would be reopening to visa-free tourists. Thu 26 May 2022 23.20 EDT Japan has announced it will end a two-year pandemic closure and reopen to tourists from 98 countries and regions next month, but travellers will only be allowed in as. Turkey's largest city, Istanbul has a number of major attractions derived from its historical status as capital of the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires.These include the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (the "Blue Mosque"), the Hagia . 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! The endisnear. Thanks to everyone in here in the comments for that! Bon voyage! Most flights go to Tokyo (Narita or Haneda), but some flights also go to Kansai (Osaka, Kyoto). To enjoy our content, please include The Japan Times on your ad-blocker's list of approved sites. if (d.getElementById(id)) return; But were over the moon to announce that travel to Japan has now returned to something that looks a lot like the old normal. Visa-free travel is possible for all countries that originally had this arrangement with Japan, which includes countries like Australia, New Zealand, the UK, most of Europe, the US and Canada. 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. Visit our main site to read more about this topic or contact one of our specialists. 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,. What follows is based on that research and fixation with the on-the-ground situation in Japan. As countries across Asia reopen to international travelers, Japan one of the continent's most popular destinations remains firmly closed. As the Japan experts, weve sought all the requirement information directly from Japanese government sources and broken them down into easy-to-understand sections. For better or worse, Japan is an insular and culturally conservative countrya characteristic that is often valued by visitors. Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division. Any questions? P.s. Its entirely possible that Kishida sees this polling and his sagging approval numbers and realizes that its time to move forward. July 20, 2021. Prior to those guidelines being released, we speculated on how this would work given basic logic and past precedent with prior groups who had been allowed to enter Japan. There are no quarantine requirements, and travel is visa-free for the vast majority of people reading this. What about proof of vaccination? Thank you so much for this free and respectful space for everyones opinions that has helped us get through these difficult years. Yes, Japan will be fully open for tourists and lift its travel restrictions (to pre-COVID status) on October 11th, 2022. We recommend consulting the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Validity of visas issued under "Business Track" / "Residence Track" or "New border measures (4)" is suspended for the time being. Japan's tourism industry is still waiting for the country's borders to fully reopen [File: Kentaro Takahashi/Bloomberg] (Bloomberg) When Japan implemented a blanket ban on inbound tourists in. (It took a few more days for the guidelines to be released, and the clarifying FAQ isstillbeing updated. The government had a goal of 40 million in 2020 timed with the Summer Olympics. There is a lot of pent up demand for travel to Japan, so plane tickets and accommodations should be a priority. Lets 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. 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 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. TOKYO -- Japan on Monday provided details of its full-scale tourism reopening, following Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's announcement last week. Travelers from most countries can now enter Japan without applying for a visa in advance. The number has never exceeded 200,000 since the pandemic began. So, it seems the country is finallyon the road to properly welcoming travellers again and thats something that we can all get very excited about. We have all the answers you need about Japan's full border opening on 11th October 2022. Travelers from most countries can now enter Japan without applying for a visa in advance. Kiyomizu-dera Temple with cherries in full bloom: f11 photo / Shutterstock.com Situation Summary With this, the visa exemption would be reinstated, making that a non-issue. 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. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida reportedly plans to make a decision as early as the end of this week, with an eye to implementing the revisions by October. May its borders remain open forevermore. 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! On September 22, 2022, however, Prime Minister Kishida finally revealed that these restrictions would be scrapped. October 2022, visa-free travel resumed and all arrival caps were removed as well. Japan has some of the biggest, boldest and most exciting cities in the world, frozen-in-time samurai towns, remote alpine villages, tiny islands brimming with contemporary art, and mountaintop temple communities unchanged for centuries. In many places, customers should browse the menu via a QR code. Japan fully reopening in full is all but inevitable at this point. In fact, you should act fast: the crowds are going to return, but it will take several months before we get back to the jam-packed conditions of 2019. Why Japan is Unlikely to Reopen Borders Until 2022 July 7, 20210 When Will Japan Reopen Its Borders for International Visitors (and not just Olympic athletes and coaches)? Due to this and other policies, Japan has lagged behind economically, seeing slower recovery than the United States and other counterparts that have more aggressively reopened. Wow, i cant believe it. Human behavior and sentiment dont change overnight, even if its economically advantageous and objectively safer to do so. On January 20, Prime Minister Kishida announced that Japan will downgrade Covid to the same category as seasonal influenza on May 8. On 10 June 2022, Japan finally started allowing international tourists into the country for the first time in . There are thousands of hotels and other tourist-oriented industries in the city. Finally booked my flights, enjoy your trips everyone! This is something weve pointed out in our best and worst case scenarios in prior updates, but theres only a limited amount of time between waves. Before heading to Japan to travel, make sure to check the most up-to-date information. Amid the weakening yen, inbound travelers will have greatest economic effectThere are many foreign visitors who want to come visit Japan. Kihara added that eliminating the arrival cap alone was not enough. 0:49. This could leave you open to exploitation and prosecution. Japans economy has serious issues and inbound tourism was previously a bright spot. Thank you Tom and to everyone for all the insights, info, and updates. Thatll help you prepare for arrival, and potentially save time at the airport. It looks like you're using an ad blocker. By contrast,Fuji TV is treating this as a done deal, using less ambiguous language. We know there are a lot of people overseas who want to come to Japan, Kihara added. (Im sorry, I cant help myself. More likely, the impact wont be fully felt until next years cherry blossom season. Over two years into this, the seasonality of COVID transmission is well-established. I assume well hear from AndyO soon, admitting he was wrong, like he demanded from so many of us. |. Hardly a week goes by when we don't get this question from a TravelSort Client. If you are unvaccinated, you have to take a pre-departure test. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name If youre planning a trip to the Japan, check outour other posts about Japanfor ideas on other things to do! 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. 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. Kiyomizu-dera Temple with cherries in full bloom: Japan Airlines planes at Narita International Airport: Guide to the Visit Japan Web app and Japan Entry Procedures, Kansai International Airport (for Osaka and Kyoto), Kyoto Walking Tour 1: Nanzen-ji Temple to Yoshida-jinja Shrine, Kyoto Walking Tour 2: Tofuku-ji Temple to Fushimi-Inari Taisha Shrine, Kyoto Walking Tour 3: Classic Southern Higashiyama, A Guide to the Visit Japan Web app and Japan Entry Procedures, Kyoto Itineraries for Families with Children, Kyoto One-Day Off-the-Beaten-Track Cherry Blossom Itinerary, The Most Romantic Hotels and Ryokan in Kyoto. Thanks Tom, and everyone! I just got back from my first post re-opening trip to Japan, and am open to answering questions. This form lists the Covid tests accepted by the Japanese government. This is good news for travelers like you hoping to travel to . Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Either way, thats something to continue keeping in mind. It was, indeed, a rare bright spot in such a dark, sad time. Japan's borders finally reopened to independent travelers in October 2022, and visiting Japan now is virtually as easy as it was before the pandemic. Before the pandemic, Japan's tourism industry was booming. If you are a citizen of one of those countries, you do not need to apply for a visa in advance; you will be given a 90-day tourist visa upon arrival in Japan (note that there are few exceptions which are listed on the MOFA site). In May, 2022, a highly anticipated announcement by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida led many to despair. Is this a here we go again moment looming? We recommend consulting the, The Long-term Expat: How Covid Changed My Life in Tokyo, Traveling Through Japan in the Age of Covid-19: A Personal Encounter, Why Im Glad I Got Stuck in Japan During Covid-19, Lessons in Isolation: How a 10-Day Silent Retreat in Japans Countryside Helped Me Cope With the Covid New Reality, official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Conquering a Fear of the Unknown: The Psychology Behind Covid-19 Anxiety and How to Cope With It, What the Covid-19 Pandemic can Teach Japan about Climate Change. Re: will Japan will allow in a limited number of foreign growing national debt recommend the! Or worse, Japan finally started allowing International tourists into the country for the to! Could be due to the country for the current border protocol effective 8. Be tomorrow.. Japan to travel, vaccination and Covid test before flying Japan! Will have greatest economic effectThere are many foreign visitors who want to visit before heading to Japan, added! 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