Japan plans to reopen to independent travelers in major shift, report Yes, Japan's borders are now open to all international tourist travel.. Japan has completely removed the entry cap on daily foreign arrivals.. Additionally, all visa exemptions have now been reinstated.This means that citizens of around 70 countries, including the United States and all European Union nations, can once again visit Japan for 90 days without a visa . Nov. 18, 2021 10:20 am JST Nov. 26, 2021 . Japan has vilified and scapegoated foreigners and had an overly aggressive approach to its borders. May its borders remain open forevermore. Sep 12, 2022 SHARE 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. At best, this helps with winter. With this, the visa exemption would be reinstated, making that a non-issue. [1/2] Passengers on a plane from China's capital Beijing arrive at Narita international airport in Narita, east of Tokyo, Japan January 8, 2023.REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon =w=)b. Sort of. of course the opposition (not all of it, from what I read) is against this. This assumes thatJapan downgrades COVID-19 from its special status to Category 5 literally any day now orthat this is not a necessary prerequisite to an individual tourist reopening. InUnguided Tours in Japan Reopening Phase Rules, we cover what this entails and the recently-released guidelines and FAQ for these tours. Call 81 3 3201 3331. (Im sorry, I cant help myself. While the pandemic is still very much a thing, we've largely seen countries start to take the approach of trying to resume "normal" life while living with . Japan to maintain strict border restrictions until end of February Under the current COVID-19 border restrictions, foreign tourists need to obtain a short-term visa and prepare their flights, itinerary, accommodation, and car rentals ahead of time through a. 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. oh wow!! Economists fear a double dip recession in Japan due to the prolonged closures and restrictions. Not so much in the last couple of years, as this has been reflected in policy-making. That's a hardship for the many. If you want a copy of thistotally freeeBook and Japan reopening updates, all you need to do issubscribe to our newsletter! Is this a here we go again moment looming? On August 23, specifics of the September relaxation measures were leaked to the same media outlets. However, as we have seen time and time again, the patently obvious conclusion often is not the outcome reached by Japan. Its pretty clear the government is focused on moving forward. PP PRITESH C PATEL 10 months ago How about Sept, Oct? Morgan Stanley Research analysts expect China to broadly reopen in the second half of 2022 and move away from the Zero-COVID policy by the end of this year. Along with revelling in the many ways to take in the allures across Japan, now is a time when international visitors can take advantage of shopping opportunities. Ive missed it so much. Thank you Tom and to everyone for all the insights, info, and updates. Reuters provides business, financial, national and international news to professionals via desktop terminals, the world's media organizations, industry events and directly to consumers. Im so excited and happy for everyone! As of 2022 it features a recently renovated hotel area and local market, as well as a marine leisure area and an exclusive seafood restaurant located on a long pier into the ocean, flanked by infinity pools. Is Japan ready to reopen its borders? | East Asia Forum Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has reacted with powerful . The next step for Japan, I think, is Corona downgrade and mask usage. 2023 Yosemite Firefall Viewing Guide: Best Dates, Reservations Info & Face Masks in Japan: Rules v. Reality (2023), Please subscribe to our FREE email newsletter, Japan Fall Colors Forecast & Autumn Foliage Viewing Guide, Tokyo Disneyland 40th Anniversary 'Dream-Go-Round' Details, New Parade & Japan Reopening Disney Tourist Blog The KKK News. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is. Japan has maintained some of the strictest Finally booked my flights, enjoy your trips everyone! Yuen Bettei Daita ryokan traditional accommodation, illi Shimokitazawa studio apartment rentals and Mustard Hotel affordable (even by the hour) room rates, have made staying in Shimokitazawa more feasible alongside new boutique and food facilities like Bonus Track, Reload, tefu Lounge and Mikan Shimokita. From Tuesday, Japan will reinstate visa-free travel to dozens of countries, ending some of world's strictest border controls to slow the spread of COVID-19 . Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stated that his top priority was formulating new economic measures and implementing these goals. Japan reopens its borders. Are tourists ready to return? The resumption of individual travel to Japan and visa waivers, and the elimination of the daily arrival cap will allow international visitors to enjoy Japan in more ways than in the past two-and-a-half years. Japan fully reopened its borders to tourists on October 11, 2022. We had a nice little community here, and that was greatly appreciated. Im inclined to say Spring 2023, but its easy to envision a worst-case that isnt until summer. It was, indeed, a rare bright spot in such a dark, sad time. Subscribers also receive a totally free copy of ourJapan on a BudgeteBook. 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. The number of people anxiously awaiting Japans reopening is shrinking, not growing. Tour groups from 98 countries, including Australia, can now visit the country - but only if they wear masks, have . For better or worse, Japan is an insular and culturally conservative countrya characteristic that is often valued by visitors. We know there are a lot of people overseas who want to come to Japan, Kihara added. Is Japan Open to Tourists? (February 2023 Update - Travel Caffeine Mon 10 Oct 2022 23.22 EDT Last modified on Tue 11 Oct 2022 07.34 EDT Japan has fully opened its doors to visitors after more than two years of pandemic isolation. 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. For my own peace of mind, could you please confirm that MYSOS form completion will no longer be a necessary requirement for entry into Japan from October 11th when the travel restrictions are lifted? Those reading regular updates on Japans reopening are not representative of international travelers at large. We have to carry it out in the not-so-distant future, he said. Japan Travel Advice & Safety | Smartraveller 2022 Reopening Borders Japan Tourists | Japan City Tour It is available from 10:00 to 17:00, and can be reached at 03-6233-9266. TRAVEL NEWS, JOBS & EVENTS! Lets see where THIS goes. 01:51 . Thanks for your commitment, communication and consultation over the last 2 years. It will happen soon. That theres more upside than downside risk in reopening and encouraging more economic activity. Do you think Japan will have its "borders opened" by May 2022? The Government of Japan announced a policy of resuming entry by individual travellers for tourism purposes beginning on October 11. It kind of fell like a little community in here, like I know from Discord groups. Japan will close its borders to all foreigners from Tuesday, . Were preserving this for posterity, but everything that follows is now (thankfully!) . Japan reopens: Heres what to look forward to in 2023, Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing, Exhibitions (MICE), Destination NaJomtien BanAmphur BangSaray *NEW*, *NEW*, Affordable Luxury in Thailand by Centara Hotels, Rising Above the Oridinary by Conrad Bangkok, Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO), 5 reasons why traditional travel protection is obsolete, 5 reasons why Cross Hotels & Resorts is APACs hotel operator of choice, Wake up at the magnificent Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing, Exhibitions). Felix Ng. While I hope to see you around here on future updates, I know that probably wont be the case. Japan's borders remain closed to tourists despite plunge in coronavirus 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. The country's domestic and international business community united on Friday in urging the government to open further, including "rapidly resuming" individual tourist travel and bringing. To say it one last time cheers, Tom. P.S. 2023 when Japan is scheduled to downgrade the categorization of the virus. Elsewhere, the star-studded Super Mario movie (name TBC) will be opening in cinemas in April 2023, and a film adaptation of popular video game Ghost of Tsushima is in the works. Will Japan Ever Reopen Its Borders To Tourists?!? With the relaxed travel measures, Japan is fully prepared to host these events. Japan has resumed its visa exemption scheme for short-stay tourism and business travel.