Is Japan Open to Tourists?
Is Japan open for international individual travelers? Are borders open as normal in 2024? What are testing, face mask, and vaccine requirements for visitors? These are questions among those planning trips to Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and this covers the answers.
The good news is that we now have an answer to questions we’ve been asking for nearly two years! First, after reopening to guided tour groups, Japan reopened to individual tourists on October 11, 2022. In the year-plus since, additional changes have occurred to the extent that it’s basically business as usual for visiting Japan in 2024.
We’ve already returned to Japan, spending about a month in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and elsewhere. In various updates here, we’ve been sharing our experiences and what it’s like as a foreign visitor, what has changed, crowd conditions, expenses of visiting Japan with the weaker yen, and much more. The big one for most of you is likely going to be Japan Face Mask Rules v. Reality in 2024.
Those two posts cover essentially everything you need to know about visiting Japan as of 2024. The short version is that it is possible to enter, regardless of whether you’re vaccinated or unvaccinated, albeit with a testing requirement for the latter. There are no quarantine requirements, and travel is visa-free for the vast majority of people reading this.
Please subscribe to our FREE email newsletter and stay tuned if you are curious about how things are on-the-ground for tourists in Japan post-reopening.
In terms of the latest news, the current vaccine and testing policies ended on May 8, 2023. This is because Japan has formally decided to downgrade the legal status of the novel coronavirus on May 8, 2023 to the same category as common infectious diseases, such as seasonal influenza, thereby easing COVID-19 prevention rules.
This is a major policy shift and will relax–if not eliminate entirely–Japan’s intensive COVID-19 countermeasures, including limiting the movements of infected people and their close contacts. Japan’s reclassification of COVID-19 to Class 5 came after a panel of experts under the health ministry agreed on the plan earlier in the day.
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. Essentially, there will be no (legal) basis for the current border protocol effective May 8, 2023. Of course, things could change between now and then, but it’s likely the border will revert to late 2019 status as of that date.
We typically spend a couple of months in Japan each year, and are ecstatic to be returning after nearly 3 years away. We are eager to revisit our favorite places, see friends in Japan for the first time in over two years, and continue creating this site’s wealth of free planning resources. We’re 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, we’ve been closely monitoring the situation in Japan, watching several hours of NHK each day and reading multiple Japanese news sources. 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.
What follows is based on that research and fixation with the on-the-ground situation in Japan. We’re preserving this for posterity, but everything that follows is now (thankfully!) obsolete information.
Japan is now allowing foreign nationals to enter Japan for purposes other than tourism so long as they have a sponsor in the country. This includes business travelers on short stays, students in study abroad programs, participants in technical internships, both guided & unguided tour groups, spouses or children (and other relatives) of a Japanese national/permanent resident, others with special exceptional circumstances, and those who would provide a “public benefit” to Japan.
With that in mind, let’s 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.”
Kishida has also acknowledged that Japan’s border control measures are the strictest among Group of Seven nations, and expressed a desire/need to bring Japan in line with its counterparts. “This is the first step in our gradual easing of the [border] restrictions,” Kishida has said.
As for why Japan’s border is still closed over a year after most democracies reopened, that can largely be explained by the country’s apprehensiveness of outsiders.
For better or worse, Japan is an insular and culturally conservative country–a characteristic that is often valued by visitors. Not so much in the last couple of years, as this has been reflected in policy-making. Japan has vilified and scapegoated foreigners and had an overly aggressive approach to its borders.
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. Economic benefits of international tourists is one big reason why Japan is expected to reopen its border.
Boosting tourism was core to the late former Prime Minister Abe’s economic revitalization, and both subsequent prime ministers have indicated their intentions to maintain continuity with those plans. 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. Compared with the pre-pandemic level in 2019, it dropped 99.2 percent. That’s the sharpest fall on record according to the Japan Tourism Agency.
Economists fear a “double dip” recession in Japan due to the prolonged closures and restrictions. Decreased tourism plus falling exports, an increased consumption tax, reduced consumer spending, weak yen, and growing national debt. Japan’s economy has serious issues and inbound tourism was previously a bright spot.
In other words, reopening to international visitors will be important to the health of Japan’s consumption-driven economy at some point in the not too distant future. 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. Quite simply, Japan is inflicting pain on itself by remaining closed.
There are also signs that stringent travel measures, including the border closure, are having a greater impact on Japan’s economy than previously believed. This is despite Japan’s “Go to Travel” campaign that subsidized domestic travel, which was offered at various times during the last two years.
According to data from the Japan Tourism Agency, stays at hotels and other accommodation facilities hit another record low in Japan last year–breaking the previous record set in 2020. The total of guests at hotels and inns was 315.75 million, down 4.8% from 2020 and 47% from 2019. (This number includes hotels used as government quarantine facilities, not just leisure stays.)
The ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party recognizes these problems and realizes it needs to rebuild Japan’s economy. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stated that his top priority was formulating new economic measures and implementing these goals. The government will also take measures to stimulate and jump-start the economy.
Despite the aforementioned numbers, Japan is maintaining its goal of attracting 60 million foreign visitors by 2030. Additionally, the Japan National Tourism Organization has set 2024 as its goal for recovering to 2019 international travel levels. Both of these statements are reassuring given the current border closures, and indicate that Japan will unwind its travel ban in months, not years.
Against that economic backdrop, let’s take a look at the latest changes to Japan’s reopening plans…
We have more good news! Multiple media outlets, including NHK, Kyodo, Nikkei, and Fuji TV are all reporting that Japan’s government is planning to further relax restrictions and border measures with an eye to implementing the revisions by the start of October.
The specifics are not consistent among outlets, so let’s start with where they’re in agreeance.
First, there is consensus that the daily arrival cap, which is currently set at 50,000, will be eliminated entirely.
This is a necessary prerequisite for further reopening and the resumption of more inbound international flights, but this alone was not an obstacle dissuading most international visitors. 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. Regardless, it’s good to have this removed as it eliminates an element of uncertainty and could have been an issue during peak travel times for the Japanese.
Another possibility is that Japan will allow individual foreign tourists to enter the country and exempt them from visas if they have been vaccinated three times or submit a pre-arrival test result.
This is where there is disagreement among the major outlets. Kyodo, Nikkei, and NHK are reporting that this is to be determined, with government officials still deciding whether to proceed with this plan or start with lifting the daily arrival cap. By contrast, Fuji TV is treating this as a done deal, using less ambiguous language.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida reportedly plans to make a decision as early as the end of this week, according to the news outlets’ sources.
These “leaks” came after Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiji Kihara spoke on Fuji TV over the weekend and stated that Japan will consider easing all three restrictions–the daily arrival cap, ban on individual tourists, and visa requirements. “We will review all three restrictions together. We have to carry it out in the not-so-distant future,” he said.
“Japan has seasonal attractions in fall and winter. We know there are a lot of people overseas who want to come to Japan,” Kihara added. “Amid the weakening yen, inbound travelers will have greatest economic effect…There are many foreign visitors who want to come visit Japan.” Kihara added that eliminating the arrival cap alone was not enough.
Kihara isn’t the only one who has been vocal about fully reopening to tourists recently. During the Bloomberg New Voices panel, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said she would open the country’s doors “tomorrow” if it were her decision. “Tourism is a big industry in Tokyo, as well as in all Japan, so this is the time to greet more foreign tourists by using this advantage of the depreciation of the yen,” she said.
Koike said that Japan’s borders would fully reopen soon. “The national border is under the management of central government,” Koike said. “As governor of Tokyo, that would be tomorrow.”
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.
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.
Japan also began allowing unguided tours, meaning ones not accompanied by tour conductors. This is specifically for “unguided tour groups” or “non-escorted visitors on package tours” and not individual tourists.
In Unguided Tours in Japan – Reopening Phase Rules, we cover what this entails and the recently-released guidelines and FAQ for these tours. 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. We were wrong–the unguided tours offered two steps forward but one step backwards.
We mention this in part to own past mistakes, but also as a cautionary tale. While it certainly sounds like the end is near for the Japan travel ban, it’s premature to have a high degree of confidence.
Kishida’s government has been trying to take advantage of the weak yen and accelerate growth by attracting more foreign visitors. It thus stands to reason that opening to individual tourists necessarily needs to occur–that raising the entry cap will do nothing in furtherance of their stated goal. However, as we have seen time and time again, the patently obvious conclusion often is not the outcome reached by Japan.
Moreover, how this played out with Japan’s last announcement is also instructive.
On August 23, specifics of the September relaxation measures were leaked to the same media outlets. At that time, it was unclear whether unguided tourists would be allowed to enter. On August 31, Kishida made an official announcement encompassing all of the rumored changes, including unguided tourists. (It took a few more days for the guidelines to be released, and the clarifying FAQ is still being updated.)
While presenting the above as a cautionary tale against optimism or over reliance on logic when assessing Japan’s decisions, that’s exactly what I’m going to do. (I’m sorry, I can’t help myself. Like a moth to a flame.)
First, there’s already the realization that unguided tours–like guided tours before them–will not move the needle on inbound tourism in any meaningful way. It’s 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. The number of people anxiously awaiting Japan’s reopening is shrinking, not growing.
Second, there’s awareness within the Kishida administration that the window of opportunity to reopen the border is closing. This is something we’ve pointed out in our best and worst case scenarios in prior updates, but there’s only a limited amount of time between waves.
Over two years into this, the seasonality of COVID transmission is well-established. Cases are currently in freefall and will continue decreasing next month before bottoming out sometime between late October and early November. There will be a winter resurgence. It could start as soon as late November, but is more likely in December.
Reopening to individual tourists in October presents minimal (political) risk and maximum (economic) upside. 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.
Frankly, the miscalculation here by the Kishida administration is thinking that this will have an immediate impact on inbound travel. Those reading regular updates on Japan’s reopening are not representative of international travelers at large. Most people need months of time between booking and traveling; very few plan and take last-minute trips–especially international ones.
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. Autumn is already a lost cause. At best, this helps with winter. More likely, the impact won’t be fully felt until next year’s cherry blossom season.
One wildcard is the downgrade of COVID’s legal status. Several recent updates have centered around Japan’s internal debate over whether to strip COVID-19 of its special status and downgrade it to the same level as the flu in Japan’s infectious disease categories.
It’s been our perspective that this was a necessary prerequisite to welcoming individual tourists as there would no longer be a need for a responsible receiving party to monitor travelers and act as a liaison for infected individuals. Given that none of the recent reports have even mentioned COVID’s status in regard to reopening, it’s possible our perspective was wrong. Or, that this barrier does still exist and Japan will have to create a “solution” for it (travel insurance?) for individual tourists. Either way, that’s something to continue keeping in mind.
Also as previously mentioned, recent poll data also shows the public is now far less concerned with COVID than the economy, Unification Church scandal, Abe’s state funeral, and other issues. It’s entirely possible that Kishida sees this polling and his sagging approval numbers and realizes that it’s time to move forward. That there’s more upside than downside risk in reopening and encouraging more economic activity.
As we’ve stressed repeatedly, Japan’s populace has been among the most cautious in the world with regard to COVID-19. Human behavior and sentiment don’t change overnight, even if it’s economically advantageous and objectively safer to do so. Statements by politicians and medical advisors, gradual border relaxation measures, and other changes could be interpreted as Japan laying the groundwork for a resumption of normalcy and the country’s eventual reopening. It now appears that the time is here–or coming very soon.
With all of this said, I’ll present my revised best, worst, and base-case scenarios for Japan’s reopening to individual tourists…
Let’s start with the best-case scenario. This assumes that Japan downgrades COVID-19 from its special status to Category 5 literally any day now or that this is not a necessary prerequisite to an individual tourist reopening. (With the possible workaround of travel insurance or some other awkward “fix.”)
Critically, this would eliminate the legal requirement of a responsible receiving party for visitors to Japan. In such a scenario, the borders could almost immediately return to their normal pre-closure status in early October. With this, the visa exemption would be reinstated, making that a non-issue. The arrivals cap would also be eliminated in this scenario.
Then there’s the middle ground or base case. This is now the same as the best-case scenario. In short, the early October reopening is not just our most optimistic view–it’s now what we expect to happen.
To differentiate the two, I’ll also allow for a middle ground possibility of a bifurcated decision with the individual tourist reopening a few weeks after the entry cap elimination. Let’s say that happens in early November.
This is would allow a bit of wiggle room for Japan’s slow and belabored decision-making process that involves a lot of “careful consideration” and “evaluating the situation.” If anything has been well-established during the last two-plus years, it’s that inaction is Japan’s baseline, and anything that does happen occurs gradually and in stages.
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. It’s possible the country views this as sufficient for tourism businesses to stave off bankruptcy or other financial hardship for another few months.
If/when there’s another winter resurgence in cases, the reopening can would effectively be kicked down the road for a few more months. That would mean individual tourists would not be welcomed back to Japan until sometime in the first half of 2023. I’m inclined to say Spring 2023, but it’s easy to envision a worst-case that isn’t until summer.
Our view is that the worst-case scenario is now highly unlikely. Japan relaxed its border measures earlier in September while still being #1 in the world for new cases. This indicates that Japan is finally ready to move forward and sets the precedent for future changes during waves. Who knows–it still may take until early 2023 to fully downgrade the legal status of COVID. But whatever winter wave occurs (and one will happen), that’s unlikely to be an obstacle to reopening progress, as was the case last year.
With all of that in mind, we remain cautiously optimistic that individual tourists will be allowed to enter Japan sooner rather than later. The political and economic appetite for fully relaxation now clearly exists, and there’s a vocal chorus of politicians in Japan–including those who were previously in favor of closed borders–championing reopening. It’s now the popular position being advanced publicly by politicians, not just being advocated by Keidanren or Japan’s business lobby.
Japan fully reopening in full is all but inevitable at this point. It will happen soon. The end is near.
It’s thus our view that Japan reopening in some capacity to individual tourists in October is a very realistic scenario. As improbable as it might’ve seemed even a week ago, Japan welcoming back international visitors who are not part of tours (guided or unguided) sometime before November is likely. It’s pretty clear the government is focused on moving forward. As frustrating as this whole process has been, Japan is not still (completely) stuck in March 2020.
As always, Japan is cautious and conservative, with a slow and belabored decision-making process that often embodies “analysis paralysis” and usually defies logic. That’s a wild card that could further extend any timeline. However, Japan is now joining the rest of the world as people are ready to move on with life.
We’ll keep watching the news and keep you posted if/when there are further developments about Japan reopening and allowing entry to travelers from the United States, Canada, Europe, and beyond. Again, if you’d like to be notified as soon as more details are released or rumored, subscribe to our free email newsletter for ongoing updates and alerts:
If you’re planning a visit to Japan, our recommendation at this point is to target sometime in November at the earliest. In our view, koyo (autumn leaves) season is a good bet, and that takes place from mid-November through December. That’s simply a good time to visit Japan and, hopefully, the country will be open to individual tourists by then.
Speaking of which, check out our Japan Fall Colors Forecast & Autumn Foliage Viewing Guide to get started on planning your trip to visit Japan’s popular fall foliage cities, including Kyoto, Tokyo, Mount Fuji, Miyajima, Hiroshima, Himeji, and Nara. That also offers tips for avoiding crowds and strategy for visiting the best temples, shrines, and evening illuminations.
If you’re planning a trip to the Japan, check out our other posts about Japan for ideas on other things to do! We also recommend consulting our Ultimate Guide to Kyoto and Ultimate Guide to Tokyo to plan.
Your Thoughts
Would you consider visiting Japan later this year, or is international travel out of the question for you anytime soon? How do you view the news about guided tours? Think those will stick around for several months, or are simply theater to shift public opinion? Think the need to adapt and live with the endemic virus will outweigh fear when it comes to Japan’s reopening plans? Any thoughts or tips of your own to add? If you’re planning your trip to Japan, what do you think about these itineraries? Any questions? Hearing your feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts or questions below in the comments!
Went to Japan 10 years ago…and can’t wait to get back. Thank you so much for the current info…we have already booked our trip for April….thx
Good news! My Japanese wife is currently working and living in Japan. I’d love to be able to visit her as we’ve been apart for several months now.
I booked a trip to Tokyo in late July for travel in mid October. We’ve been watching this closely and greatly appreciate your updates. At the end of your post you mentioned not scheduling anything until Nov 22. Given the fact we’re already booked, would you have any reservations keeping the trip as planned assuming the restrictions are lifted in the next few weeks? Thank you.
I have a ticket for October 2 that I bought 6 months ago.
So it may seem like I’m splitting grammar hairs, but I’m holding my breath to hear if individual tourists will be allowed to enter *BY* October, or *IN* October.
haha, im thinkin of booking for the 4th oct. I think/hope/pray its “BY”.😂✌️
You have brought a smile to my face today….or maybe a smirk! I read your wonderful article with great excitement. We will all be waiting with baited breath for the official announcement.
Hopefully it will be what we want to hear…..travelling alone and no visas.
I’m curious. I have air/accomodations already booked, arrive in Tokyo Monday, Nov 14. If the govt removes need for ERFS as of, say, Nov 1, but keeps requirement for visa application, would it even be possible to apply for visa (eVisa in my case, in US) without an ERFS BEFORE the date that the ERFS requirement is waived? I’m slightly concerned that even if ERFS is waived with visa req still in place, I wouldn’t have adequate time to apply if the answer to my above question is “no”.
In the same boat, as I have a trip Nov 11, have you gotten a ERSF? And if so with what company if you don’t mind sharing?
A question about caps. How do they monitor that? Do they turn planes away? Are each days landing pre-screened and when passengers hit 50K some are denied entry. I know it sounds like a dumb question but I’ve never read anything about daily caps. Thanks
Know one knows because the cap has never even come close to being reached.
No one* (stupid IPhone)
It’s done through the airlines/Air traffic scheduling in advance. I presume by the max capacity of each plane.
I think the cap has been reached, and even exceeded, on some days. With the number of outgoing trips that the media reported during Golden Week, it would not have been possible for everybody to get back in under the cap at that time, unless large numbers were staying overseas for longer than just Golden Week.
Currently, when I go to book a flight on ANA, a message pops up saying that availability is limited because of the cap. So it seems to be enforced, at least in part, by restrictions on airline bookings.
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/09/12/national/border-independent-tourists-visa-waiver/
“The government is planning to allow independent tourists to come to Japan and exempt them from visas if they have been vaccinated three times or submit a pre-arrival test result, Fuji TV reported Monday. It also intends to abolish the daily arrival cap, which is currently set at 50,000, the report added.”
Considering the number of leaks, they seem to really be in discussions now to make a major re-opening move in October/November. Unfortunately too late for me, unless my project team allows me to join the planned business trip to Japan later in autumn and tack on a bit of time for private travels.
So what was the purpose of a few weeks of unguided tours ? It looks like they either wanted to be in the position of making an ‘early’ announcement or didn’t realize fall was a season and/or the yen was low. Truly bizarre timing.
The end of the tunnel is near. 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
I truly hope so, as to many others!
We have heard that foreign governments have been told by the Japanese that Japan’s rules will be gone by the end of October. Normally you could take that second-hand information lightly, but it’s adding to the noise in the Japanese media, so I believe it.
Japan government to waive tourist visa requirements as part of border easing – report
https://www.rappler.com/world/asia-pacific/japan-governemnt-to-waive-tourist-visa-requirements-border-easing/
This is potentially huge.
But am I understanding right that they might get rid of visa requirements before the daily cap? If so, that might make getting a flight very competitive…and potentially expensive.
Nah, it’ll be either the cap or both they get rid of, don’t worry.
Can see it just being the cap. Have learnt over the years never to get hopes up about a Japanese government announcement. Too many let downs in the past.
Unless Kishida has drunk 2000 lt. of sake, I expect it to be in two phases (first cap, then Visa).
More concrete news peeps. It is happening. Decision THIS WEEK!
https://www.bloomberg.co.jp/news/articles/2022-09-12/RI2SN7DWX2PS01?
Might sound weird, but the news over the last few days in regards to restrictions being eased for individual travel has really given me a boost. Last 2 years or so have played havoc with my mental health (not just Covid and border closures) so this is giving me something to really look forward to. I’m already on Airbnb looking for some unique Japanese accommodation!
@Gareth
Same. This is the travel therapy we needed. I went to South Korea earlier this year because Japan didn’t open. While it was a great country, it didn’t fill the Japan-shaped hole in my heart. Used to go 2 to 3 days a year before Covid. Enjoy your trip and book everything asap before the whole world knows about this.
Though.. a small part of me still question, if Kishida will come up with some stupid version of further relaxation with nonsensical conditions in the end, instead of a full reopen.
Lets cross our fingers it’s soon. I purchased tickets months ago and have hotel accommodations for Oct 13th. Thanks for the update.
@gareth
I hear you, me too. I’ve been trying to get to Japan since booking an April 2020 trip back in Oct 2019. I’ve rebooked my flite/same Airbnb 5 times now. I have flite/Airbnb now for Nov 13-22. Fingers crossed… tightly.
Checked round trips from Lax by AA (only bc I have a CITI CARD) this morning. Over 300,000 frequent flyer miles for bus first and over $10,000 in November going to HND. Prefer other airports but 2 hours in green Shinkansen is pleasant!!
Can’t take a chance on booking and having AA cancel bc they won’t refund money. You get a travel credit.
For me too uncertain to plan November plus securing a hotel, etc.
It’s behind a pay wall, so I can’t read it myself, but here’s an article in English about further plans.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-09-11/japan-plans-to-scrap-daily-arrival-cap-by-october-nikkei-says#xj4y7vzkg
@Meli, this is what the article says:
“Japan is making arrangements to end its daily limit on arrivals from overseas by October, and will consider removing other remaining barriers to foreign tourism at the same time, the Nikkei reported without saying where it obtained the information.
The removal of the 50,000 people-per-day cap alone won’t return Japan’s border to its pre-Covid openness, as non-resident foreigners are also currently required to obtain visas for short-term stays, and may enter for tourism only as part of approved package tours.
According to the Nikkei, government officials are divided on when to remove these restraints. One proposal is to lift all three barriers at the same time, while others call for ditching the entry cap first and observing the results before allowing the return of individual tourism and visa waivers, the paper said.
Earlier on Sunday, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiji Kihara told a Japanese TV program that the government will further relax its tourism rules at an “appropriate time” because Japan “must not fall behind” the rest of the world.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pledged earlier this year to make Japan as easy to visit as other Group of Seven nations, but the country’s reopening has been piecemeal, with the daily entry limit being loosened in stages and tour groups initially required to be chaperoned at all times. Japan had about 246,000 foreign visitors last year, far off a record 31.9 million in 2019.
The Kishida administration is of the view that it should ease travel restrictions during the fall, and it will be difficult to make a move later if winter brings a resurgence in Covid-19 infections, the Nikkei said.
Weak Yen a Chance to Lure Tourists, Tokyo Governor Says”
@L, thank you for posting the whole article!
I can read it. No news. Just may but nothing certain.
https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQOUA111730R10C22A9000000/
According to the Nikkei (paywalled article) the government is thinking about removing the ban in October. We’ll see…
We aready booked for mid December, I think it’s not a bad guess.
Our limit is February.
No doubt they won’t have the balls, and will just remove the cap, but the end is in sight!
The cap is irrelevant as it’s not been a barrier to entry. The Visa process is the barrier to entry. Both have to go. Removing just the cap changes nothing.
Good news indeed. I also received this: Japan may soon lift restrictions on entry to the country – The Japanese government is considering lifting the daily limit on the number of people entering the country, said Seiji Kihara, Deputy Secretary General of the Cabinet of Ministers. “A weak yen increases Japan’s attractiveness for inbound tourism,” Kihara said on the Fuji TV channel.
According to him, Tokyo may soon cancel the remaining restrictions, including the daily limit on the number of people entering the country.
Yes pls. How soon? Tokyo as in the central government or Tokyo Tokyo?
Great news. Hopefully by years end!
I’ve a feeling it’s getting close. I live in San Diego, CA. Haven’t been able to go back to Japan since Covid restrictions were imposed.
Maybe soon there will be good news that everyone expects: Visa free travel
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/14bb3b049bc4031844b11538e4a878d6b65a23ca
Great news!
Here’s a quick translation of the article in case anyone finds it useful:
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiji Kihara appeared on a Fuji Television program on September 11 and indicated that [the government] is considering to put additional easing of Coronavirus border control measures into effect early.
Specifically, [that would be] an abolishment of the limits placed on the number of people who can enter Japan each day, an elimination of the ban on individual tourists, and a restoration of visa exemptions. He stated, “We will re-examine it completely. We must do so soon.”
Kihara pointed out that, “Fall and winter in Japan are attractive,” and asserted that they expect a demand from foreign visitors (inbound tourists). “With the yen being weak, it’s extremely good for inbound tourists (economically). The world is re-opening to interaction and we must not fall behind,” he said.
The comment about Japan having fall attractions would be a reference to the turning of the leaves. This suggests to me an opening no later than November 1st.
Behind evident “sheer incompetence” there are also old prejudices.
I used to come twice a year. Now nothing since covid. I love visiting Japan. But I’ve now been to Copenhagen twice and returned from Scandinavia, a gorgeous country. If the president doesn’t figure it out soon, visitors will find other areas of the world to visit while he allows his economy to crumble. Going on a tour is insane and being followed on my phone certainly will keep me from returning. The second most beautiful time of the year is just around the corner and then Sakura. You can wave a magic wand and expect businesses can be ready for visitors, enough airplanes to fly while keeping air fares low. I think the president has shown who he is and the Japanese will tell him he’s got to go. Very weak. Wi
Agreed. We cancelled our October trip based on the Sept. 7 announcement. The government is doing a pretty dance with on substance. Too bad. We’re going to Amsterdam, Berlin, and Copenhagen instead. They lost our $$$.
With “no” substance.
This recent NHK piece sums it up well:
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/backstories/2093/
That’s about right. My business is still running at near-zero, these “relaxations” of rules haven’t had much effect on our numbers.
One thing we’ve found out is that, starting in October, the government will be lowering its support amount for our furloughed staff (staff get support, not me as an owner, unfortunately). They’ve been getting a certain amount of support through the entire pandemic, but now that will be cut by 20%. The difference will now come out of my pocket, and the rules are that the staff have to stay furloughed, meaning they can’t come back to work to make up the difference for me. With the government still crushing our business through their border policies, it seems like a dick move. Maybe they’re trying to “tell us something” regarding October, but even if they are, it will take tourism longer than that to come back because people need planning time. I’m not sure if they’ve ever understood that.
I’m pretty sure they’re cutting it because it’s no longer sustainable. It happened in my country too…except that with the borders open the tourism (and the associated activities) made up for it.
The way it has been handled in Japan though… I believe it’s just sheer incompetence.
I am a japanses citizen living abroad, it has been 3 years or so since I havent gone back, but I used to go and see my family every year before the pandemic.
I am in a tricky situation now since I want to bring my boyfriend and we do not want to be in that serious situation where i declear him as a spouse or something and I do not want to be tracked and tell where I will be when I am there. I recently bought a ticket for Nov. I wish I could bring him, I looked into the packages that are offered, and I could sign up for one of those packages with him and go there together but I hate the fact they book a hotel of their choice. This is becoming ridiculous where Japanese could go everywhere and come back with any disease today, and still not letting foreigners come in. It is shameful and this year markes 50 years since our island got returned to Japan and this makes me think of what it means to belong to Japan and if it was even a good idea. The minimum wage there is about 7 USD and the States is now what. The quality of living hasnt changed for 30 years and the future of this country is dark but probably perfect for visitors who spend money there. Anyways thanks for informing us especially for those who dont speak the language. Beautiful pictures. keep it up.