0:49. Thanks for the posts, Tom. (Im sorry, I cant help myself. Visa-free travel for selected countries, including the US, has also been resumed. mean getting rid of the mask. If/when theres another winter resurgence in cases, the reopening can would effectively be kicked down the road for a few more months. 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. Published Feb. 18, 2022 Updated Feb. 28, 2022. Its been our perspective that this was a necessary prerequisite towelcoming 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. Are borders open as normal in 2023? 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. 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. Except for everyone wearing masks, things seemed mostly back to normal. Then, on September 7th, independent travel became possible, but still needed to be booked through a government-authorised agency and required a visa. Kiyomizu-dera Temple with cherries in full bloom: f11 photo / Shutterstock.com Situation Summary 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. Critically, this would eliminate the legal requirement of a responsible receiving party for visitors to Japan. Istanbul is one of the most important tourism spots not only in Turkey but also in the world. 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. TOKYO -- Japan on Monday provided details of its full-scale tourism reopening, following Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's announcement last week. The ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party recognizes these problems and realizes it needs to rebuild Japans economy. This may also mean the end of the Visit Japan Web app. |. Bon voyage! As of October 11, 2022, Japan is open for tourism for independent travelers without a guide or a packaged tour. Well, in September 2022, Fumio Kishida, the Japanese Prime Minister announced that the country will begin to reopen independent, free travel from October 11. Who knowsit still may take until early 2023 to fully downgrade the legal status of COVID. If you want a copy of thistotally freeeBook and Japan reopening updates, all you need to do issubscribe to our newsletter! The total of guests at hotels and inns was 315.75 million, down 4.8% from 2020 and 47% from 2019. 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. 2. On September 22, 2022, however, Prime Minister Kishida finally revealed that these restrictions would be scrapped. Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division. If youre planning a trip to Japan, there are some things you should do now. 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. Its made it slightly more bearable having a community to discuss all the news coming out of Japan especially since group tours first became a reality. Travel agencies eye discounts for those vaccinated for COVID-19. I land on Nov. 2, the website the new form come out Nov.I am so confusedbut no one seems to come here anymore.if anyone reads this please answer if you can. 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. Please subscribe to our FREE email newsletterand stay tuned if you are curious about how things are on-the-ground for tourists in Japan post-reopening. While it certainly sounds likethe end is nearfor the Japan travel ban, its premature to have a high degree of confidence. While I hope to see you around here on future updates, I know that probably wont be the case. Women in traditional robes at a shrine in Japan. See our. As frustrating as this whole process has been, Japan is not still (completely) stuck in March 2020. Putting aside how I obviously need to be clearing my web history more often, it all feels so surreal now that is, how religiously I checked this comments section for news on Japan not even half a year prior, a somewhat embarrassing fact that Firefox is keen to remind me of. Japan finally opened its borders to tourists on Friday, but with strict rules. This is where there is disagreement among the major outlets. 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. Its now the popular position being advanced publicly by politicians, not just being advocated by Keidanren or Japans business lobby. Experience the best of Tokyo, Kyoto, Hakone and Kamakura on this 9-night, low-cost Small Group Tour. You will be free to make your own choices where masks are not advised we wouldnt recommend choosing not to wear one where they are advised. From 11th October onwards, visa-free travel will resume, and all arrival caps are being removed as well. var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; 2022, Japan removed visa requirements and arrival caps, returning to pre-pandemic travel arrangements. Travelers from most countries can now enter Japan without applying for a visa in advance. If you decide to travel to Japan: Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency. However, for a child below the age of 18 who is traveling with their parents, this is the policy (this is direct from a Japanese consulate email): For children under the age of 18 who do not hold a valid vaccination certificate three times. In short, the early October reopening is not just our most optimistic viewits now what we expect to happen. If you cant respect another countrys Covid policies you shouldnt visit and be an entitled tourist. Kyoto in cherry blossom season: f11 photo / Shutterstock.com. It is finally over. From June 10th 2022, Japan opened to escorted tours. First, after reopening to guided tour groups, Japan reopened to individual tourists on October 11 of last year. Some facilities such as museums, aquariums and theme parks require prior booking or a ticket purchase. If you are a citizen of one of those countries, you do not need to apply for a visa in advance; you will be given a 90-day tourist visa upon arrival in Japan (note that there are few exceptions which are listed on the MOFA site). Everybody have a great trip! HTJ said Japan is currently open for travel, but for those who have a visa or are an exchange . However and wherever you choose to travel, well take exceptional care of you from the first call to arriving back home. . The new experiment is a way of testing how tourism providers deal with outbreaks of Covid-19. In this case, his/her screen will be Yellow, but he/she can use Fast Track.. It was challenging, convoluted and at times frustrating. Thats simply a good time to visit Japan and, hopefully, the country will be open to individual tourists by then. Lets say that happens in early November. From Sept. 22nd, In a Reuters report published on The Japan Times, the government may allow hotels to refuse entry to guests who do not wear masks and follow other anti-virus measures.This new measure is still in its infancy. Think those will stick around for several months, or are simply theater to shift public opinion? Read the country information page for additional information on travel to Japan. Some 68% of Singaporeans aged 16 to 24 years old indicated they are considering Japan for their "next vacation," compared to 37% of those aged 55 and older, according to research published in. By Lilit Marcus, CNN Published 9:20 PM EDT, Sun July 31, 2022 Link Copied! So, youll be able to have the place mostly to yourself and everything will seem positively cheap! Most people need months of time between booking and traveling; very few plan and take last-minute tripsespecially international ones. Japan open for tourism After almost two and a half years of strict Covid-19 protocol and restrictions, this is a major shift in policy. You do NOT need to be vaccinated with a Covid vaccine to enter Japan. Japans economy has serious issues and inbound tourism was previously a bright spot. 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. What were those, you ask? However, if youve received any fewerjabs than three, youll need to show a negative test taken within 72 hours of departure for Japan. You dont have to be vaccinated to travel to Japan, but whether you need a PCR test does depend on your vaccination status: Sort of, hence the confusion! . What are testing, face mask, and vaccine requirements for visitors? Before heading to Japan to travel, make sure to check the most up-to-date information. 2022. 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. 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. July 20, 2021. Kishidas government has been trying to take advantage of the weak yen and accelerate growth by attracting more foreign visitors. in the Profile section of your subscriber account page. so its confirmed Thanks so much Tom. By contrast,Fuji TV is treating this as a done deal, using less ambiguous language. Ghibli Park (November 1st, 2022) 2. It was finally announced that from October 11, 2022, the borders would be reopening to visa-free tourists. Visa-free, independent travel is now possible for most nationalities. Previously, travel requirements included booking your trip through a government-approved tour operator and also obtain a visa and ERFS certificate, but both these requirements are no longer necessary. 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. That would mean individual tourists would not be welcomed back to Japan until sometime in the first half of 2023. But from 11 Oct 2022, travellers are free to explore Japan independently . To say it one last time cheers, Tom. By September 14, 2022 Credit: Depositphotos Advertisement After. 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. js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; 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. Did the Visit Japan Web App before arrival and was simple getting through everything at Narita, just had to show them the QR codes, two people traveling, one with the triple vaccination and one just using pre travel PCR test. Challenging, convoluted and at times frustrating traditional robes at a shrine Japan... 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