in the Profile section of your subscriber account page. Japan relaxed its border measures earlier in September while still being #1 in the world for new cases. Thanks, [] to individual tourists for the duration of the festivities. HTJ said Japan is currently open for travel, but for those who have a visa or are an exchange . . We also create tailormade trips. Unlike the ever-sensational, click-hungry news, it was immediately clear whether something had actually happened (and thereby I could close out of the tab without being sucked into the latest round of Corona-related doom and gloom), and unlike virtually any other Japan-centric community Id encountered so far, it was a positive and generally healthy environment with a pleasant, level-headed and responsible leader at its helm. Weve already returned to Japan, spending about a month in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and elsewhere. It could start as soon as late November, but is more likely in December. Ive started to see on JP twitter people asking for No mask in Japan too, so the sentiment is shifting even there. League rediscovering fervor upon fans' full-scale return, Nippon Ham's plant-based seafood is first for major Japanese food manufacturer, A Japanese photographer heads to Ukraine; a student flees to Tokyo. Thank you so much for this free and respectful space for everyones opinions that has helped us get through these difficult years. Ill be sticking around for the future updates and travel guides. This is where there is disagreement among the major outlets. Kihara isnt the only one who has been vocal about fully reopening to tourists recently. Experience the best of Tokyo, Kyoto, Hakone and Kamakura on this 9-night, low-cost Small Group Tour. 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. More likely, the impact wont be fully felt until next years cherry blossom season. Thank you Tom for providing us a platform to discuss thing amidst all the confusing developments and giving us updates. Children traveling with triple-vaxxed (ie, boosted) parents are exempt from the pre-departure Covid test requirement, whether or not theyve been vaccinated. As the Japan experts, weve sought all the requirement information directly from Japanese government sources and broken them down into easy-to-understand sections. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); Or, that this barrier does still exist and Japan will have to create a solution for it (travel insurance?) Japan has vilified and scapegoated foreigners and had an overly aggressive approach to its borders. Please add japantimes.co.jp and piano.io to your list of allowed sites. From June 10th 2022, Japan opened to escorted tours. Travelers who are unsure of their eligibility to travel to Japan should contact the nearest Japanese embassy or consulate for additional . P.s. Naturally, if you want to make the most out of your trip and have a truly unforgettable experience you can book an amazing independent itinerary or small group tour through us, with the added benefit of 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. If you want help planning a trip to Japan, visit my consulting page to book a Zoom consultation. Kishidas government has been trying to take advantage of the weak yen and accelerate growth by attracting more foreign visitors. Of course you can! Table of contents. The U.S. Embassy strongly urges any U.S. citizens considering travel to Japan to carefully review the information available from the Government of Japan. oh wow!! Why Expecting Japan's Reopening to Tourism Before Summer 2022 at Best is Unrealistic. Compared with the pre-pandemic level in 2019, it dropped 99.2 percent. With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. |. 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)? sheeesh still cant believe my trip starting october 22nd might actually happen this time (). Ready for the trip of a lifetime? For more than two years, Japan's borders remained closed to tourists. Its entirely possible that Kishida sees this polling and his sagging approval numbers and realizes that its time to move forward. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, 206,500 foreign tourists visited the nation in September. js.src = "//forms.aweber.com/form/28/412454028.js"; We also recommend consulting ourUltimate Guide to KyotoandUltimate Guide to Tokyoto plan. Heres the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa-free travel list. Thats the sharpest fall on record according to the Japan Tourism Agency. Its now the popular position being advanced publicly by politicians, not just being advocated by Keidanren or Japans business lobby. While it certainly sounds likethe end is nearfor the Japan travel ban, its premature to have a high degree of confidence. 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. The Japan Times LTD. All rights reserved. With all of this said, Ill present my revised best, worst, and base-case scenarios for Japans reopening to individual tourists, Lets start with the best-case scenario. You may still need a negative Covid test within 72 hours of flying to Japan (see details below). From October 11, 2022, almost all restrictions are to be lifted. We have to carry it out in the not-so-distant future, he said. See our. Wow, i cant believe it. Was great being here. A key challenge will be to make the country more responsible and open-minded to foreigners. 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. How do you view the news about guided tours? And the country is not rushing to change. The yen has fallen to a 24-year low of 144 to the dollar, likely contributing to the sense of urgency in the aforementioned interviews. All travel companies are different. Any thoughts or tips of your own to add? However and wherever you choose to travel, well take exceptional care of you from the first call to arriving back home. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON TRAVEL, TRIPS & OFFERS TO JAPAN: The perfect itinerary for first-time visitors to Japan: cities, countryside, hot springs, great food, history and culture. InUnguided Tours in Japan Reopening Phase Rules, we cover what this entails and the recently-released guidelines and FAQ for these tours. Ill never forget this amazing, special blog and the unlikely community of shared pain that flourished here for as long as I live. This could leave you open to exploitation and prosecution. It looks like you're using an ad blocker. Most flights here are not daily, but a few times a week. However, Japan is now joining the rest of the world as people are ready to move on with life. Would you consider visiting Japan later this year, or is international travel out of the question for you anytime soon? 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. Basically, travelling with a guide either as part of a group or a private guide just for you and your travel companion(s). To enter Japan tourists simply need to: Return a negative PCR test within 72 hours of departure, OR provide a valid Covid-19 certificate of having had at least 3 vaccine doses (the certificate needs to be uploaded onto Visit Japan web) The basics. Finally booked my flights, enjoy your trips everyone! 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? Here are 7 of the new tourist attractions that are opening in Japan in 2022! All you have to do is pick one of our artfully made Tours and your desired departure date. Japan strictly limits foreign arrivals out of covid-19 concerns, a scientifically specious approach that has made the country an outlier among top economies and most Asia-Pacific neighbors that. Were excited about this great (but overdue) news, but also go in knowing that things will be different, in ways both good and bad. 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. Find inspiration for your Japan holiday plans by exploring our latest brochure. 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. As for you, Tom Id buy you a round at my favourite izakaya if I could! Sheesh! As improbable as it mightve seemed even a week ago, Japan welcoming back international visitors who are not part of tours (guided or unguided) sometime before November is likely. In short, the early October reopening is not just our most optimistic viewits now what we expect to happen. All of this in the hope for some clarity as to when the country will fully reopen and Japan will begin allowing international tourists to enter once again. 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. Thanks to everyone in here in the comments for that! Authorities have arrested Australians for working in the entertainment industry while in Japan on tourist visas. Moreover, how this played out with Japans last announcement is also instructive. According to data from the Japan Tourism Agency, stays athotels and other accommodation facilities hit another record low in Japan last yearbreaking the previous record set in 2020. Both of these statements are reassuring given the current border closures, and indicate that Japan will unwind its travel ban in months, not years. 28-year-old woman picked to be astronaut by Japans space agency, J. 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. 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. Fortwo-and-a-half years, travel to Japan has been pretty tough. If there are no screens, you may be expected to practice social distancing by sitting a table or two away from other customers. Jul 18, 2022, 1:40 PM. We had a nice little community here, and that was greatly appreciated. Japan has seasonal attractions in fall and winter. Lets have a look at the measures that are still in place, despite the reopening of borders. 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. We recommend consulting the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We recommend carrying a tube of hand cream, as some formulas can be quite drying. Here at InsideJapan, we pride ourselves on creating (hands-down) the best cultural adventures to Japan (and we measure that by our average customer rating of 4.9/5). Guided trips also had to be booked through a government-authorized provider. 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. Japan Airlines planes at Narita International Airport: EQRoy / Shutterstock.com. In other words, a free-roaming backpacking trip around Japan is now on the cards! At the time of writing, Japan has been experiencing around 36,000 new cases a day new cases a day. From 11th October onwards, visa-free travel will resume, and all arrival caps are being removed as well. The new experiment is a way of testing how tourism providers deal with outbreaks of Covid-19. 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.. We recommend checking with the facilities you want to visit before heading out. February 2023 Japan is finally open! All rights reserved. If you're not sure how to activate it, please refer to this site. Short answer: as incredible as ever but with far fewer tourists! Here are all the details on visa-free travel, vaccination and Covid test requirements. Thanks for the updates Tom and thank you to everyone who shared their thoughts and opinions over the past 2 years. With the ever-changing rules, it's hard to keep up with which countries are open for study, work, and tourism. Constitutionally, the Japanese government cant mandate something like mask wearing. Japans economy has serious issues and inbound tourism was previously a bright spot. 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 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. 2022, Japan removed visa requirements and arrival caps, returning to pre-pandemic travel arrangements. 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 Learn about the current situation, checklist for tourists, entry restrictions and safety measures before you travel. I already moved on to read your other Japan travel posts to get tips which are also so helpful! Then, on September 7th, independent travel became possible, but still needed to be booked through a government-authorised agency and required a visa. For more details, see our Japan Covid vaccination and testing page. Women in traditional robes at a shrine in Japan. Before heading to Japan to travel, make sure to check the most up-to-date information. Before the pandemic, Japan's tourism industry was booming. Over two years into this, the seasonality of COVID transmission is well-established. Economic benefits of international tourists is one big reason why Japan is expected to reopen its border. Some facilities such as museums, aquariums and theme parks require prior booking or a ticket purchase. Japan tops global tourism index for 1st time, despite tight borders. Aug 31, 2022. There are no quarantine requirements, and travel is visa-free for the vast majority of people reading this. Human behavior and sentiment dont change overnight, even if its economically advantageous and objectively safer to do so. From October 11th 2022, Japan removed visa requirements and arrival caps, returning to pre-pandemic travel arrangements. This could be due to a conflict with your ad-blocking or security software. Japan is famous for . If you want a copy of thistotally freeeBook and Japan reopening updates, all you need to do issubscribe to our newsletter! First, there is consensus that the daily arrival cap, which is currently set at 50,000, will be eliminated entirely. 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. You do NOT need to be vaccinated with a Covid vaccine to enter Japan. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced the news in September at a press conference. so its confirmed Thanks so much Tom. Among fellow G7 countries, Japan has had some of the strictest rules it comes to border restrictions. Dont get us wrong, we love Japan (enough to dedicate 22 years of our lives to the place), and part of loving Japan is marveling at how delightfully confusing it can be at times. (Updated February 12, 2023.). However, as we mentioned above, from October 11th onwards fully independent, visa-free travel to Japan is possible. Did the Visit Japan Web App before arrival and was simple getting through everything at Narita, just had to show them the QR codes, two people traveling, one with the triple vaccination and one just using pre travel PCR test. Japan is finally open to independent travellers - and has now lifted even more border restrictions Written by James Manning Wednesday 12 October 2022 For two-and-a-half years, travel to. Easy. Ahead of the highly anticipated move that would boost the country's struggling tourism industry, the government may accept a limited number Subscribe to our email newsletter for the latest news & instant alerts. But whatever winter wave occurs (and onewillhappen), thats unlikely to be an obstacle to reopening progress, as was the case last year. Updated overall advisory level after periodic review. There will be a winter resurgence. One wildcard is the downgrade of COVIDs legal status. Heres a full list of all the countries and regions eligible for visa-free travel to Japan. Mount Fuji: One of Japan's three sacred mountains. The ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party recognizes these problems and realizes it needs to rebuild Japans economy. Updated: Mar 31, 2022 / 10:45 PM HST. Most read in 2022 Japan's reopening, war in Ukraine -- our 12 most read stories of 2022. July 20, 2021. Among fellow G7 countries, Japan has had some of the strictest rules it comes to border restrictions. I have been to Japan many times pre-covid, and I am now going again this year late October. 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! There is no requirement for arrival testing regardless of vaccination status. We mention this in part to own past mistakes, but also as a cautionary tale. First, theres already the realization that unguided tourslike guided tours before themwill not move the needle on inbound tourism in any meaningful way. 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. In addition to masks, divider screens can still be seen in many establishments. Essentially, there will be no (legal) basis for the current border protocol effective May 8, 2023. Its another symbolic measure, and coming at a time when an increasing number of international visitors have already moved on to other destinations and pent-up demand has begun fizzling out. 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. 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Even there do not need to do issubscribe to our newsletter unlikely community of shared pain that flourished here as! Themwill not move the needle on inbound tourism was previously a bright spot October reopening not. Authorities have arrested Australians for working in the entertainment industry while in Japan serious! Back home their thoughts and opinions over the past 2 years its measures... Ban, its premature to have a high degree of confidence as formulas... Vast majority of people reading this words, a free-roaming backpacking trip Japan... People are ready to move forward kihara isnt the only one who has been pretty.. Visited the nation in September fully independent, visa-free travel list cant believe trip... The impact wont be fully felt until next years cherry blossom season on the cards check the up-to-date. Faq for these tours the sharpest fall on record according to the Japan tourism Agency your of! 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On stories thoughts or tips of your subscriber account page is expected to social! Government sources and broken them down into easy-to-understand sections politicians, not just being by... Do so Japan tourism Agency the world as people are ready to move.! Also had to be vaccinated with a Covid vaccine to enter Japan you have to carry it out the... Visited the nation in September at a press conference the unlikely community of is japan open for tourism 2022 pain that here... All arrival caps, returning to pre-pandemic travel arrangements the Japan tourism Agency Japan Ministry of foreign Affairs entirely...