More likely, the impact wont be fully felt until next years cherry blossom season. This is would allow a bit of wiggle room for Japans 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, its that inaction is Japans baseline, and anything that does happen occurs gradually and in stages. 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. Just open the borders already. Thank you, for this wonderful site with its very helpful regular updates! Here are all the details on visa-free travel, vaccination and Covid test requirements. Cheers . It was, indeed, a rare bright spot in such a dark, sad time. And thank you for providing this space for all of us. Is this a here we go again moment looming? 2023 GPlusMedia Inc. national Japan to increase daily border cap to 5,000 people from Nov 26. In light of the border reopening, Qantas will at last fire up its much-delayed Sydney-Tokyo Haneda service from October 27, with flights from Brisbane also resuming on December 1 and Melbourne primed to join the duo from March 2023.. Qantas International CEO Andrew David says "forward bookings are tracking well, in particular for the upcoming Australian holiday period", which shows how . (Im sorry, I cant help myself. js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; The country is also about to increase the daily cap of tourists allowed to enter Japan from 20,000 to 50,000. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida reportedly plans to make a decision as early as the end of this week, according to the news outlets sources. TOKYO, Japan - Japan plans to ease COVID 19-related border restrictions by lifting its entry ban for foreign nationals from 106 countries including the United States, Britain and France on . Japan is open to travel. 28 Feb 2023 0. Instead of blanket testing of travellers from mainland China, Japan will only test selected samples, although travellers will still need to show a negative test before boarding their flights to Japan, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told a news conference on Monday. obsolete information. Im very glad its dead but am also appreciative of what existed while it did. 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. It's official: Japan will reopen to tourism on October 11. 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. fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); We know there are a lot of people overseas who want to come to Japan, Kihara added. 2023 will bring the opening of a farm area for agritourism, with a private villa area due to open in 2024. Japan reopened its borders to independent foreign travelers and reintroduced visa-free entry from October 11, 2022. . -. Nagoya 2023 will see the opening of the remaining two areas of the Studio Ghibli Park, making the lesser celebrated city of Nagoya a key transit point for would-be visitors. 2023 will also see the opening of Yokohamas first high-end Hilton property in a waterfront development that will also house the K-Arena, one of the worlds largest live music venues, as part of the new Music Terrace. 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. Japan fully reopened its borders to tourists on October 11, 2022. 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. Screen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. TEL: 0120-248-668 (Japanese only) . I have been to Japan many times pre-covid, and I am now going again this year late October. for individual tourists. There are also signs that stringent travel measures, including the border closure, are having a greater impact on Japans economy than previously believed. For better or worse, Japan is an insular and culturally conservative countrya characteristic that is often valued by visitors. 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. All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. (February 2023 Update). I came to your page because this comments section and its provisional community provided something both unique and welcome in a dark time for travellers of Japan. From the early days of Covid-19, our team of Japan travel experts has been closely monitoring developments and in constant contact with our network throughout the country. On August 23, specifics of the September relaxation measures were leaked to the same media outlets. This is now the same as the best-case scenario. For now, direct flights from China can only land at the Narita, Haneda, Kansai and Chubu airports. Wow, i cant believe it. 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. What follows is based on that research and fixation with the on-the-ground situation in Japan. What is required to travel to Japan and what about visas? You will receive a link to download the eBook and periodic emails when there's news to share. We also recommend consulting ourUltimate Guide to KyotoandUltimate Guide to Tokyoto plan. Nevertheless, despite loosening restrictions in September, travelers will still need to . Public opinion nowadays is very reluctant to allow foreigner to enter Japan even if you guys want to enter Japan on the purpose of studying or business. At Juwai IQI, we believe China will maintain zero-Covid through at least the rst-quarter of 2023. Japan has announced it will lift tough Covid restrictions on foreign tourists, reopening the borders after two and a half years. The recent lockdowns in Shanghai and Guangdong are unmistakable signs that China will not be backing down from its zero-Covid policy, at least for the rest of 2022. As governor of Tokyo, that would be tomorrow.. More information can be found here . This is specifically forunguided tour groups or non-escorted visitors on package tours andnotindividual tourists. Airlines will also be allowed to operate direct flights from China to more Japanese airports, Matsuno said. Those reading regular updates on Japans reopening are not representative of international travelers at large. By. 2 days agoJapan on Monday reported 95916 new coronavirus cases. Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. Visa waiver is back, no daily limit and free individual visits. All Rights Reserved. Prefer a couple of nights in a location rather than one night stays, possibly use a location as a central point for a couple of stays 3. Japan also began allowing unguided tours, meaning ones not accompanied by tour conductors. Compared with the pre-pandemic level in 2019, it dropped 99.2 percent. 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. Though some things feel different, this nation Ive travelled for the last two months, ing and ing about the forty-seven prefectures as I once did in the 2010s, is certainly the same marvellous place that I fell in love with so long ago. It has been well over two years since coronavirus initially shut down global travel. JNTO President SEINO Satoshi commented: The Japanese government has, at last, announced the resumption of individual travel for tourism purposes, visa waivers, and the elimination of the daily arrival cap. This will save you significant money on accommodations, attractions, temples, groceries, transportation, and even Michelin-rated restaurants! Japan reopened its borders to overseas visitors on package tours Friday in a move that will potentially boost the economy over time, though the initial spending impact is likely to be limited. 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. Well 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. For general inquiries about border measures for entry into Japan, please contact the following numbers Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's Call Center Open 9 AM to 9 PM, everyday including weekend and holidays. Are you concerned that Japan wont reopen until 2023, or think October is still realistic? Updated 7 June 2022. I wish you all the best with your upcoming tripsthanks again for everything. That would mean individual tourists would not be welcomed back to Japan until sometime in the first half of 2023. Recently, Japan reopened to limited numbers of fully vaccinated foreign business travelers and students, and raised its daily limit of these arrivals from 3500 to 5000. Japans economy has serious issues and inbound tourism was previously a bright spot. 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 prime minister, Fumio Kishida, said on Thursday that the. It aint over till its over.pls see my recent post which I HOPE isnt accurate and just some fake news, but Reuters is pretty accurate. The specifics are not consistent among outlets, so lets start with where theyre in agreeance. 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.. Finally, there has been some good news about the state of the Japanese border closure for almost all tourists. 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. Japans Ministry of Foreign Affairs has offered new guidance that were covering inJapan Reopening to Individual Tourists: FAQ, Rules & Guidelines. Who knowsit still may take until early 2023 to fully downgrade the legal status of COVID. Come see the new Japan. despite protests. Read on to find out more! Both of these statements are reassuring given the current border closures, and indicate that Japan will unwind its travel ban in months, not years. 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. Japan also began allowing unguided tours, meaning ones not accompanied by tour conductors. The most comprehensive solution to manage all your complex and ever-expanding tax and compliance needs. 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. Zenbo Seinei A new meditation experience centre above the canopies of the Hyogo prefecture next to Kyoto and Osaka, designed by award-winning architect Shigeru Ban. From September 7, 2022, the country plans to drop pre-departure testing requirements for fully vaccinated travelers (including one booster dose). This is. Japan House exhibition running until the end of January 2023, opening 29th Sep, focusing on woodwork in Hida, Takayama. Thanks, [] to individual tourists for the duration of the festivities. 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. (With the possible workaround of travel insurance or some other awkward fix.). Not A Hotel Ishigaki Opening on the island of Ishigaki in 2023, this Sou Fujimoto set of luxury sea-view villas have the unique property of being raised as if from the ground, with meadows for rooftops, a sleek futuristic design reminiscent of his designs at the recent Shiroiya Hotel in Gunma. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government launched a multilingual call center on COVID-19 for foreign residents. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has confirmed "no schedule has been decided" for fully reopening the borders, though members of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party have discussed a potential. 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. China retaliated by suspending the issuing of short-term visas in South Korea and Japan. sheeesh still cant believe my trip starting october 22nd might actually happen this time (). 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. Its thus our view that Japan reopening in some capacity to individual tourists in October is a very realistic scenario. var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; 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? The Mana Village A collection of villa properties opening in stages on the wild and rustic southern coastline of Kochi prefecture, on Shikoku island. [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 See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. Visit in Spring or Autumn. We will review all three restrictions together. Do you or anyone here know if we need this after Oct. 11? 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. Shimokitazawa An ongoing redevelopment around a suburban railway line stretching across three stations (Senrogai), cementing the districts place as a youth culture hub. 1. For more than two years, the nation was effectively impossible visit Japan. Travel Daily - Informing, connecting and developing the worlds travel industry professionals. 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. It was finally announced that from October 11, 2022, the borders would be reopening to visa-free tourists. On Tuesday, the country. Let's 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. 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 Tourism: The decision means Japan will allow in a limited number of foreign tourists on package tours starting June 10. TRAVEL NEWS, JOBS & EVENTS! Thank you Tom for providing us a platform to discuss thing amidst all the confusing developments and giving us updates. Passengers from Hong Kong and Macau will be exempt from any on-arrival testing or pre-boarding negative test requirements, broadcaster TBS reported earlier on Monday, citing government sources. Japan fully reopening in full is all but inevitable at this point. Currently, citizens of 68 countries and regions will be allowed to . May its borders remain open forevermore. March 2023 Japan is finally open! 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. . 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. Yokohama 2023 sees the return of the Yokohama Biennale art festival, timed with the reopening of the Yokohama Museum of Art post-renovation. This follows on from the opening of high-end luxury Onsen Ryokan Yuen Sapporo (2020) and in the run-up to the Adventure Travel World Summit due to be held here in the autumn of 2023. Its entirely possible that Kishida sees this polling and his sagging approval numbers and realizes that its time to move forward. There will be a winter resurgence. Ive started to see on JP twitter people asking for No mask in Japan too, so the sentiment is shifting even there. Thanks for the posts, Tom. This is where there is disagreement among the major outlets. 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. 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? first infection wave in spring 2020, and some closed again during subsequent waves; however, almost all of them are now open again. This . As weve stressed repeatedly, Japans populace has been among the most cautious in the world with regard to COVID-19. The Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) loophole has long been used by foreign teenagers who hope to work in the nation's fast-growing child workforce, jobs . The Government of Japan announced a policy of resuming entry by individual travellers for tourism purposes beginning on October 11. If youre planning a trip to the Japan, check outour other posts about Japanfor ideas on other things to do! 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. Saturday, 4 March 2023, 15:47 Last update: about 1 hour ago. As for you, Tom Id buy you a round at my favourite izakaya if I could! Ill be sticking around for the future updates and travel guides. Thanks for the updates Tom and thank you to everyone who shared their thoughts and opinions over the past 2 years. 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. Was less crowded than when I was there before, especially at the airport. This was a great place to keep up to date on the happenings. STAY UPDATED WITH THE LATEST Most people need months of time between booking and traveling; very few plan and take last-minute tripsespecially international ones. As always, Japan is cautious and conservative, with a slow and belabored decision-making process that often embodies analysis paralysis and usually defies logic. 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 . This is in the context of the ongoing community-led revitalisation of the little-known Koganecho area which has welcomed the opening of an artist-in-residence programme, galleries, art classes, a book bazaar and new street art installations. Japan has maintained some of the strictest After a series of head fake border. 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. 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. tomthanks for ALL the help.I was told I need the MYSOS app to enter now, but there is mixed information on JapanWeb. Boosting tourism was core to the late former Prime Minister Abes economic revitalization, and both subsequent prime ministers have indicated their intentions to maintain continuity with those plans. The country sealed its borders to most foreign travelers early in the pandemic and has only recently begun to allow a slow drip of students and business people to return a sharp contrast to. We were wrongthe unguided tours offered two steps forward but one step backwards. The new Trunk Hotel Yoyogi Park opens here with a rooftop infinity pool and views over the park, in 2023. Thanks for all the updates and helpful info during this stressful and hard time, Tom!! Kiyomizu-dera Temple with cherries in full bloom: f11 photo / Shutterstock.com Situation Summary The arrivals cap would also be eliminated in this scenario. 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. The good news is that we now have an answer to questionsweve been asking for nearly two years! These are questions among those planning trips to Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and this covers the answers. . The Japanese government recently eased its COVID-19 entry restrictions, meaning tourists can now visit without being on a guided tour. Were excited about this great (but overdue) news, but also go in knowing that things will be different, in ways both good and bad. 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. Was great being here. Cant wait! Thank you Tom and to everyone for all the insights, info, and updates. of course the opposition (not all of it, from what I read) is against this. South Korea eased its border controls on visitors from China early this month, which China welcomed. However, Japan is now joining the rest of the world as people are ready to move on with life. With the relaxed travel measures, Japan is fully prepared to host these events. These measures are long-awaited news for tourists around the world who have been looking forward to visiting Japan. I just got back from my first post re-opening trip to Japan, and am open to answering questions. . js.src = "//forms.aweber.com/form/28/412454028.js"; Thatll help you prepare for arrival, and potentially save time at the airport. Im heading to Tokyo for the first time in 3.5 years on October 23rd and I cant wait! Japan is Likely to Reopen to Foreign Travelers in Spring 2022 if COVID-19 numbers remain low, according to industry estimates, although the government hasn't set a hard date yet. The industry leader for online information for tax, accounting and finance professionals. Human behavior and sentiment dont change overnight, even if its economically advantageous and objectively safer to do so. Ive missed it so much. So you can do more than take in Japans captivating culture, history, nature, and cuisine, we are also working hard on projects for sustainable tourism, adventure travel, and luxury travel. 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. Those two posts cover essentially everything you need to know about visiting Japan as of 2023. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon. 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. By contrast,Fuji TV is treating this as a done deal, using less ambiguous language. Despite a sharp fall in the yen, just 120,400 visitors entered Japan in June, fewer than in May and April when borders were still closed, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. 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. Japan will open an embassy in Malta. Its possible the country views this as sufficient for tourism businesses to stave off bankruptcy or other financial hardship for another few months. At best, this helps with winter. Finally, Japan will reopen the border. 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. Japansreclassification of COVID-19 to Class 5 came after a panel of experts under the health ministry agreed on the plan earlier in the day. You no longer need a visa to travel to Japan for up to 90 days. As frustrating as this whole process has been, Japan is not still (completely) stuck in March 2020. It takes the shape of a long wooden sky deck on various levels encompassing an open-air deck for meditation, wooden rooms with tatami made for overnight stays, study/contemplation rooms and a restaurant serving fresh seasonal cuisine. 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. Want to receive free updates on when Japan will reopen for travel? 2023 - Travel Daily. Thanks for your commitment, communication and consultation over the last 2 years. We have more good news! The key question is: Can it learn to love foreign tourists again? Any questions? "We will lift the ceiling of the number of entrants. Even if China begins opening sooner, we forecast China will not fully reopen until at . 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. Lets see where THIS goes. Do I need to be vaccinated to go to Japan? Japan is a highly attractive country not only for tourism, but also for international conferences and incentive travel. 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. Subscribers also receive a totally free copy of ourJapan on a BudgeteBook. 32 last-minute Valentine's Day 2023 gifts . 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. Thats simply a good time to visit Japan and, hopefully, the country will be open to individual tourists by then. It kind of fell like a little community in here, like I know from Discord groups. Of course, things could change between now and then, but its likely the border will revert to late 2019 status as of that date. Okushibu The nickname given to Deep Shibuya, this secluded strip around Yoyogi and parallel to the new rooftop Miyashita Park, has seen an explosion in late night caf culture, unique eateries and flower shops. Japan is now allowing foreign nationals to enter Japan for purposes other than tourism so long as they have a sponsor in the country. Just booked my accommodation/flights/insurance/rail pass for a 22 day trip to Hiroshima, Fukui, Kanazawa, Nagoya and Osaka! The number of people anxiously awaiting Japans reopening is shrinking, not growing. Japan relaxed its border measures earlier in September while still being #1 in the world for new cases. I am incredibly pleased to finally welcome back individual travellers after coping with the pandemic during a wait of two-and-a-half years. Oct 19, 2022 SHARE Not since 1853, when U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry forced Japan to open its borders to trade, has a reopening been so newsworthy. Access unmatched financial data, news and content in a highly-customised workflow experience on desktop, web and mobile. In response to the announcement, JNTO will be doing everything we can to provide you with the latest information on coming to Japan so that many tourists can visit and journey throughout our country. Japan: A deep-fried pork . On the same topic. Or, that this barrier does still exist and Japan will have to create a solution for it (travel insurance?) In such a scenario, the borders could almost immediately return to their normal pre-closure status in early October. Reopening to individual tourists in October presents minimal (political) risk and maximum (economic) upside. (It took a few more days for the guidelines to be released, and the clarifying FAQ isstillbeing updated. 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. Quite simply,Japan is inflicting pain on itself by remaining closed. It is available from 10:00 to 17:00, and can be reached at 03-6233-9266.