From June 10th 2022, Japan opened to escorted tours. Do you or anyone here know if we need this after Oct. 11? The political and economic appetite for fully relaxation now clearly exists, and theres a vocal chorus of politicians in Japanincluding those who were previously in favor of closed borderschampioning reopening. We already have this email. 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. 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. (February 2023 Update). Among fellow G7 countries, Japan has had some of the strictest rules it comes to border restrictions. SHARE. 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. From October 11th 2022, Japan removed visa requirements and arrival caps, returning to pre-pandemic travel arrangements. This is now the same as the best-case scenario. It looks like you're using an ad blocker. Hardly a week goes by when we don't get this question from a TravelSort Client. This could be due to a conflict with your ad-blocking or security software. First, after reopening to guided tour groups, Japan reopened to individual tourists on October 11 of last year. }(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. 2. for individual tourists. In addition to masks, divider screens can still be seen in many establishments. Wow, i cant believe it. 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. Read the country information page for additional information on travel to Japan. Commuters also wear masks when riding the train or catching a taxi ride. Japan on Friday eased its borders for foreign tourists. The Japanese government has been working on a borders reopening schedule since April 27 to help revive the economy. TOKYO . Autumn is already a lost cause. 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. Essentially, there will be no (legal) basis for the current border protocol effective May 8, 2023. Im inclined to say Spring 2023, but its easy to envision a worst-case that isnt until summer. Its pretty clear the government is focused on moving forward. See below for more details. Children under the age of 18 do not need to have vaccination certificates and nor will they need have negative Covid test certificates if they are travelling with parents or guardians who have been vaccinated and have vaccination certificate. This means that people can book their own flights, accommodation and experiences, without having to go through a travel agent, which was the previous rule. Thanks for the posts, Tom. The rules for. Domestic hurdles: the possible come back of GoTo Travel and July's election. Among fellow G7 countries, Japan has had some of the strictest rules it comes to border restrictions. As weve stressed repeatedly, Japans populace has been among the most cautious in the world with regard to COVID-19. Of course, things could change between now and then, but its likely the border will revert to late 2019 status as of that date. 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. Hi Tom, Japan tops global tourism index for 1st time, despite tight borders. Are borders open as normal in 2023? Updated: Mar 31, 2022 / 10:45 PM HST. Kishida has also acknowledged that Japans border control measures are the strictest among Group of Seven nations, and expressed a desire/need to bring Japan in line with its counterparts. October 2022, visa-free travel resumed and all arrival caps were removed as well. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Even just seeing the site suggestion come up, I could feel my heart reflexively sink into my chest in dread, as though it were already anticipating nothing today, either. Those reading regular updates on Japans reopening are not representative of international travelers at large. Japan opens up to foreign tourists after two years 27 May 2022 Coronavirus pandemic Getty Images By Nadeem Shad BBC News After being closed to tourists for two years, Japan is opening its. Japan Tourism: The decision means Japan will allow in a limited number of foreign . Moreover, how this played out with Japans last announcement is also instructive. Ready for the trip of a lifetime? Cheers . This is specifically forunguided tour groups or non-escorted visitors on package tours andnotindividual tourists. In many places, customers should browse the menu via a QR code. Against that economic backdrop, lets take a look at the latest changes to Japans reopening plans. Second, theres awareness within theKishida administration that the window of opportunity to reopen the border is closing. We then take care of all the arrangements, create you a totally bespoke Info Pack detailing every aspect of your trip and offer guidance and support throughout. Despite the aforementioned numbers, Japan is maintaining its goal of attracting 60 million foreign visitors by 2030. Cases are currently in freefall and will continue decreasing next month before bottoming out sometime between late October and early November. Even before the pandemic, many locals preferred to travel within the country, with domestic tourism totaling $21.9 trillion yen ($167 billion) in 2019, according to government-backed Japan Tourism . As for why Japans border is still closed over a year after most democracies reopened, that can largely be explained by the countrys apprehensiveness of outsiders. Learn about the current situation, checklist for tourists, entry restrictions and safety measures before you travel. However, if youve received any fewerjabs than three, youll need to show a negative test taken within 72 hours of departure for Japan. In our view, koyo (autumn leaves) season is a good bet, and that takes place from mid-November through December. Japan is now allowing foreign nationals to enter Japan for purposes other than tourism so long as they have a sponsor in the country. We recommend checking with the facilities you want to visit before heading out. Travelers from most countries can now enter Japan without applying for a visa in advance. Most flights go to Tokyo (Narita or Haneda), but some flights also go to Kansai (Osaka, Kyoto). 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. These are questions among those planning trips to Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and this covers the answers. 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. 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. May its borders remain open forevermore. Of course you can! Table of contents. Just over half a million visitors have come to Japan so far in 2022, compared with a record 31.8 million in 2019. We have all the answers you need about Japans full border opening on 11. Frankly, the miscalculation here by the Kishida administration is thinking that this will have an immediate impact on inbound travel. During the Bloomberg New Voices panel,Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said she would open the countrys doors tomorrow if it were her decision. And the country is not rushing to change. Validity of visas issued under "Business Track" / "Residence Track" or "New border measures (4)" is suspended for the time being. 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. Jul 18, 2022, 1:40 PM. Mount Fuji: One of Japan's three sacred mountains. However, if you are not vaccinated and boosted, you will need to have a negative Covid test within 72 hours of boarding your flight to Japan. The specifics are not consistent among outlets, so lets start with where theyre in agreeance. Visa-free travel has also been reinstated for travellers from dozens of countries (see which ones here), though there are still several border measures in place. From 11. With the ever-changing rules, it's hard to keep up with which countries are open for study, work, and tourism. Any thoughts or tips of your own to add? July 20, 2021. 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. Its says a lot about Japan is a socially conscious society that so many individuals choose to wear masks even without mandates in place! 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. The arrivals cap would also be eliminated in this scenario. Why Expecting Japan's Reopening to Tourism Before Summer 2022 at Best is Unrealistic. Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division. 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. Ive missed it so much. Explore our latest brochure for Japan trip inspiration. For better or worse, Japan is an insular and culturally conservative countrya characteristic that is often valued by visitors. Tour groups from 98 countries, including Australia, can now visit the country - but only if they wear masks, have . Here are all the details on visa-free travel, vaccination and Covid test requirements. Additionally, the Japan National Tourism Organization has set 2024 as its goal for recovering to 2019 international travel levels. In addition to masks, divider screens can still be seen in many establishments. Thatll help you prepare for arrival, and potentially save time at the airport. Japan eases foreign tourism ban and allows guided package tours. sheeesh still cant believe my trip starting october 22nd might actually happen this time (). But from 11 Oct 2022, travellers are free to explore Japan independently . The good news is that we now have an answer to questionsweve been asking for nearly two years! It's official: Japan will reopen to tourism on October 11. Setouchi Triennale (First Session from April 14th, 2022) 3. Like a moth to a flame.). You will receive a link to download the eBook and periodic emails when there's news to share. The Japan Times LTD. All rights reserved. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, 206,500 foreign tourists visited the nation in September. From 11th October onwards, visa-free travel will resume, and all arrival caps are being removed as well. even if theyre off for a jog or on a bicycle. For now, however. Read on to find out about the current atmosphere in the country. Coronavirus . 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. I didnt comment here as much as many, but I sure did check this articles comments several times every day for the pastI dont know how long. However, the number of foreign visitors to Japan dropped to 245,900 last year, the lowest since 1964, as the country enforced tighter border controls. Japan, like much of the world, has changed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the Japan Tourism Agency, Japan welcomed 31.9 million . 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. 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. The number of people anxiously awaiting Japans reopening is shrinking, not growing. The ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party recognizes these problems and realizes it needs to rebuild Japans economy. With all of that in mind, we remain cautiously optimistic that individual tourists will be allowed to enter Japan sooner rather than later. Please go to the Instagram Feed settings page to create a feed. Thats the sharpest fall on record according to the Japan Tourism Agency. I assume well hear from AndyO soon, admitting he was wrong, like he demanded from so many of us. Just booked my accommodation/flights/insurance/rail pass for a 22 day trip to Hiroshima, Fukui, Kanazawa, Nagoya and Osaka! But were over the moon to announce that travel to Japan has now returned to something that looks a lot like the old normal. Will those be a requirement for overseas travelers? Kiyomizu-dera Temple with cherries in full bloom: f11 photo / Shutterstock.com, Last Update: February 28, 2023 (this page will be updated as needed). Travel agencies eye discounts for those vaccinated for COVID-19. We had a nice little community here, and that was greatly appreciated. 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. We have all the answers you need about Japans full border opening on 11th October. Would you consider visiting Japan later this year, or is international travel out of the question for you anytime soon? "The Group's Director, Public Relations, Takamoto Yokoyama also said that after the development of the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham Corridor in Varanasi, the number of . Updated overall advisory level after periodic review. 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 more than two years, Japan's borders remained closed to tourists. In June, the country first reopened to leisure travelers from 98 countries including the U.S., but officials required a visa . 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. 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. It was finally announced that from October 11, 2022, the borders would be reopening to visa-free tourists. This is the end weve all be anxiously awaiting for ~2 years! Lets see where THIS goes. 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. That'll help you prepare for arrival, and potentially save time at the airport. This is the first step in our gradual easing of the [border] restrictions, Kishida has said. Thats simply a good time to visit Japan and, hopefully, the country will be open to individual tourists by then. All rights reserved. First, there is consensus that the daily arrival cap, which is currently set at 50,000, will be eliminated entirely. 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. Over two years into this, the seasonality of COVID transmission is well-established. If youre planning a trip to Japan, there are some things you should do now. Guided trips also had to be booked through a government-authorized provider. And, to top it off, the yen is now at multi-decade lows. We have all the answers you need about Japan's full border opening on 11th October 2022. HTJ said Japan is currently open for travel, but for those who have a visa or are an exchange . If youve received three vaccine doses, you dont need to take a pre-travel Covid test. On 10 June 2022, Japan finally started allowing international tourists into the country for the first time in . 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. 2022 . (With the possible workaround of travel insurance or some other awkward fix.). Compared with the pre-pandemic level in 2019, it dropped 99.2 percent. It was finally announced that from October 11, 2022, the borders would be reopening to visa-free tourists. Are being removed as well U.S., but some flights also go to Tokyo, Kyoto ) theyre agreeance. 2019 international travel levels nice little community here, and this covers the answers you about... 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