Among fellow G7 countries, Japan has had some of the strictest rules it comes to border restrictions. Economists fear a double dip recession in Japan due to the prolonged closures and restrictions. For better or worse, Japan is an insular and culturally conservative countrya characteristic that is often valued by visitors. Finally, there has been some good news about the state of the Japanese border closure for almost all tourists. Independent tourists are not yet granted entry, although they can be expected to be allowed back by Autumn 2022. 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. By Lilit Marcus, CNN Published 9:20 PM EDT, Sun July 31, 2022 Link Copied! What is required to travel to Japan and what about visas? 2.Realistic time needed to get a feel for Japan. 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. 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. Thanks for the updates Tom and thank you to everyone who shared their thoughts and opinions over the past 2 years. Currently, citizens of 68 countries and regions will be allowed to . Reuters provides business, financial, national and international news to professionals via desktop terminals, the world's media organizations, industry events and directly to consumers. Both of these statements are reassuring given the current border closures, and indicate that Japan will unwind its travel ban in months, not years. Regardless, its 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. 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. Against that economic backdrop, lets take a look at the latest changes to Japans reopening plans. STAY UPDATED WITH THE LATEST The Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism, Wada Kouichi . Intrepid Travel: Japan - Land of the Rising Sun. 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. Starting Tuesday October 11, Japan will drop its 50,000 entry cap and will allow independent tourists to visit Japan visa-free. Updated August 23 2022 Japan has eased border control measures several times in. Lets see where THIS goes. This is. Japan has announced it will lift tough Covid restrictions on foreign tourists, reopening the borders after two and a half years. Would you consider visiting Japan later this year, or is international travel out of the question for you anytime soon? Japan also began allowing unguided tours, meaning ones not accompanied by tour conductors. -. Any questions? Then theres the middle ground or base case. 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. 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. 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. Like a moth to a flame.). 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. 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. 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. Nov. 18, 2021 10:20 am JST Nov. 26, 2021 . One wildcard is the downgrade of COVIDs legal status. If you cant respect another countrys Covid policies you shouldnt visit and be an entitled tourist. Everybody have a great trip! 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. Autumn is already a lost cause. Ive been following since the very beginning and only started actually posting at the very end, but I want you to know how grateful I am that your blog existed as truly the gold standard for Japan-related travel blogs throughout the pandemic. That's a hardship for the many. . Mount Fuji: One of Japan's three sacred mountains and. This time, instead of Black Ships, the. Thats a wild card that could further extend any timeline. South Korea eased its border controls on visitors from China early this month, which China welcomed. These are questions among those planning trips to Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and this covers the answers. The ban on tourists due to the outbreak of COVID-19 has been in effect since April 2020, and for a long time, there has been no clear timeline on when the borders of Japan would be reopening again for tourism. 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. (February 2023 Update). It's official: Japan will reopen to tourism on October 11. 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. Here are all the details on visa-free travel, vaccination and Covid test requirements. 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. 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. 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. 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. Hi Tom and THANK YOU for everything this platform had AND still has to offer! 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. The changes were intended to "support smooth international travels, given a low rate of positive test results among entrants", Matsuno said. Japan will close its borders to all foreigners from Tuesday, . We had a nice little community here, and that was greatly appreciated. With all of this said, Ill present my revised best, worst, and base-case scenarios for Japans reopening to individual tourists, Lets start with the best-case scenario. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government launched a multilingual call center on COVID-19 for foreign residents. May all our trips be everything we dreamt of and more. Japan reopened its borders to independent foreign travelers and reintroduced visa-free entry from October 11, 2022. . Speaking of which, check out ourJapan Fall Colors Forecast & Autumn Foliage Viewing Guideto get started on planning your trip to visit Japans popular fall foliage cities, including Kyoto, Tokyo, Mount Fuji, Miyajima, Hiroshima, Himeji, and Nara. 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. 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. It was finally announced that from October 11, 2022, the borders would be reopening to visa-free tourists. Our view is that the worst-case scenario is nowhighlyunlikely. InUnguided Tours in Japan Reopening Phase Rules, we cover what this entails and the recently-released guidelines and FAQ for these tours. Explore Japan's lesser-known destinations over 13 adventure-packed days, sipping sake in Takayama and marvelling at the iconic floating torii gate . }(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. "We will lift the ceiling of the number of entrants. 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. Economic benefits of international tourists is one big reason why Japan is expected to reopen its border. And thank you for providing this space for all of us. Take a dip in one at the soon-to-open, . We were wrongthe unguided tours offered two steps forward but one step backwards. P.S. From the beginning this page was the only place I checked (sometimes daily) for hope. Any thoughts or tips of your own to add? Im inclined to say Spring 2023, but its easy to envision a worst-case that isnt until summer. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced the news in September at a press conference. Best wishes to everyone on your travels!! Subscribe to our email newsletter for the latest news & instant alerts. 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. 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. 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.. This is the end weve all be anxiously awaiting for ~2 years! Its entirely possible that Kishida sees this polling and his sagging approval numbers and realizes that its time to move forward. (Im sorry, I cant help myself. Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. Toranomon-Azabudai A futuristic development project by Heatherwick opening in 2023 in the well-heeled area of south-west Tokyo by the same name, the Toranomon-Azabudai Project will foreground green spaces, a new temple, retail spaces designed by Sou Fujimoto, Japans tallest high-rise building, two Aman properties and the new permanent location for teamLab exhibitions in Tokyo from 2023. After a series of head fake border. Thats simply a good time to visit Japan and, hopefully, the country will be open to individual tourists by then. In such a scenario, the borders could almost immediately return to their normal pre-closure status in early October. The key question is: Can it learn to love foreign tourists again? Japan, one of the world's last major holdouts during the pandemic, is dissolving its COVID-19 restrictions and opening the door back up to mass tourism. Access unmatched financial data, news and content in a highly-customised workflow experience on desktop, web and mobile. While there are still some covid-related protocols in place, it's likely that the entire pandemic-era regime of border measures will be done away with my some point in 2023. But whatever winter wave occurs (and onewillhappen), thats unlikely to be an obstacle to reopening progress, as was the case last year. There will be a winter resurgence. Two years after their Euro 2008 triumph, Spain went to South Africa determined to make history-but they would have to overcome defensive tactics, lunging tackles and intense media scrutiny. Finally, Japan will reopen the border. [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 Lets say that happens in early November. =w=)b. Human behavior and sentiment dont change overnight, even if its economically advantageous and objectively safer to do so. TRAVEL NEWS, JOBS & EVENTS! Koike said that Japans borders would fully reopen soon. On Tuesday, the country. So why aren't tourists coming back? 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. 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. WHO urges countries to keep borders open as world races to contain Covid variant. Do I need to be vaccinated to go to Japan? The provisional measures from March 1, 2023. . 2023 will bring the opening of a farm area for agritourism, with a private villa area due to open in 2024. ), While presenting the above as a cautionary tale against optimism or over reliance on logic when assessing Japans decisions, thats exactly what Im going to do. 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. This is now the same as the best-case scenario. The endisnear. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida reportedly plans to make a decision as early as the end of this week, according to the news outlets sources. Even if China begins opening sooner, we forecast China will not fully reopen until at . As COVID-19's Omicron variant surges around the world, advanced democracies are generally responding vigorously but with lower levels of restrictions on social life and travel than in 2020 and 2021. Thatll help you prepare for arrival, and potentially save time at the airport. I am incredibly pleased to finally welcome back individual travellers after coping with the pandemic during a wait of two-and-a-half years. Flooding in southern Malaysia forces 40,000 people to flee homes, Hong Kong court convicts 3 members of Tiananmen vigil group for security offence, Reporting by Kantaro Komiya and Eimi Yamamitsu; Editing by Himani Sarkar, Robert Birsel, China says should advance 'peaceful reunification' with Taiwan, Philippines says Chinese navy ship spotted near disputed island, North Korea says US causing international arms control collapse, China plans 7.2% defence spending rise this year, faster than GDP target, Hong Kong women's rights protest cancelled after police cite risk of violence, Cameroonian businessman charged with complicity in torture after journalist's murder, Ecuador assembly backs report calling for Lasso impeachment process, UK to unveil new law to stop Channel migrants on Tuesday - paper, China to promote vaccine development, new medicines, Exclusive news, data and analytics for financial market professionals. Copyright - Sarah & Tom Bricker, Travel Caffeine. 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 . If youre planning a trip to the Japan, check outour other posts about Japanfor ideas on other things to do! As weve stressed repeatedly, Japans populace has been among the most cautious in the world with regard to COVID-19. Japan fully reopened its borders to tourists on October 11, 2022. 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 . Shimokitazawa An ongoing redevelopment around a suburban railway line stretching across three stations (Senrogai), cementing the districts place as a youth culture hub. They can be reached by phone from 10:00 to 17:00, Monday through Friday, at 0120-296-004. 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. 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. 2 days agoJapan on Monday reported 95916 new coronavirus cases. sheeesh still cant believe my trip starting october 22nd might actually happen this time (). despite protests. This will save you significant money on accommodations, attractions, temples, groceries, transportation, and even Michelin-rated restaurants! 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. 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. Japan finally opened its borders to tourists on Friday, but with strict rules. While I hope to see you around here on future updates, I know that probably wont be the case. In our view, koyo (autumn leaves) season is a good bet, and that takes place from mid-November through December. Kiyomizu-dera Temple with cherries in full bloom: f11 photo / Shutterstock.com Situation Summary That theres more upside than downside risk in reopening and encouraging more economic activity. 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. 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. Or, that this barrier does still exist and Japan will have to create a solution for it (travel insurance?) 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. 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. Toranomon-Azabudai- A futuristic development project by Heatherwick opening in 2023 in the well-heeled area of south-west Tokyo by the same name, the Toranomon-Azabudai Project will foreground. However, Japan remains one of the few major economies with significant restrictions on travel still in place, including a cap on visitor numbers. You all made the (repeated) cancellations and premature excitement a bit more bearable. Who knowsit still may take until early 2023 to fully downgrade the legal status of COVID. 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. Thanks for all the updates and helpful info during this stressful and hard time, Tom!! Demand vaccine certificates or PCR testing, and give people the freedom of movement. TEL: 0120-248-668 (Japanese only) . fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); Economic migrants are sending more teenagers and children into the United States via a much-traveled loophole in President Joe Biden's much-touted border curbs. Its thus our view that Japan reopening in some capacity to individual tourists in October is a very realistic scenario. Japan also began allowing unguided tours, meaning ones not accompanied by tour conductors. We also recommend consulting ourUltimate Guide to KyotoandUltimate Guide to Tokyoto plan. 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 . As borders are reopening, Japan is finally seeing some improvements in its travel performance, according to the latest update of the Skift Travel Health Index. 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. However, Japan is now joining the rest of the world as people are ready to move on with life. (This number includes hotels used as government quarantine facilities, not just leisure stays.). May 18 - Japan is Reopening for Tourism to 4 Countries on May-end On Tuesday, May 17, government officials announced that Japan will accept some tourists from the U.S., Australia, Thailand, and Singapore on a trial basis starting at the end of this month. 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. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Thursday his country will ease COVID-19 border control requirements next month, a key step in fostering a recovery in Japan's tourism sector, which is eager to take advantage of the yen's slide to a 24-year low. I will be in Japan from the second week of Nov. No doubt I will walk past some of you on here at the customs or one of the many beautiful places in Japan . Just open the borders already. We have more good news! Japan relaxed its border measures earlier in September while still being #1 in the world for new cases. Beloved for its unique mix of vibrant urban culture and natural beauty, the country is lifting its tight regulations on foreign tourists, according to a tweet Thursday from Taro Kono, Japan's . The infection situation has been stabilizing in Japan and the government will consult with public health experts before reviewing the country's . js.src = "//forms.aweber.com/form/28/412454028.js"; 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. Travelers from most countries can now enter Japan without applying for a visa in advance. Your email address will not be published. This . Felix Ng. 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. Im so excited and happy for everyone! Japan has maintained some of the strictest As governor of Tokyo, that would be tomorrow.. The country is also bringing back visa-free entry for visitors from more than 60 countries. With the relaxed travel measures, Japan is fully prepared to host these events. With all borders open and international racing officially back on, Asia-Pacific's premier off-road triathlon series is ready to return with some of the best trails on the circuit as local and international age group athletes can finally go head-to-head once again in a season-long race for the title of XTERRA Asia-Pacific Champion. First, there is consensus that the daily arrival cap, which is currently set at 50,000, will be eliminated entirely. It remains unknown when independent travelers will be able to enter the. On October 11, Japan will finally open its doors to independent travel following more than two years of some of the world's toughest border restrictions. I wish you all the best with your upcoming tripsthanks again for everything. first infection wave in spring 2020, and some closed again during subsequent waves; however, almost all of them are now open again. 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. One of the last closed-border hold-outs is now allowing entry for Australian tourists, with visitors from the rest of the world to follow on May 1. 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. To differentiate the two, Ill also allow for a middle ground possibility of a bifurcated decision with the individual tourist reopening a few weeks after the entry cap elimination. 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. This is sad fact, though. 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 . Sapporo 2023 will see the return of the Snow Festival for the first time in person in 3 years, and comes as the Susukino nightlife district grows with a new OMO3 property (2022) aimed at more adventurous travellers and a new Tokyu complex (2023) on the iconic Susukino crossing, including entertainment spaces and a new hotel. Can I Travel to Japan Now? The National Museum of Scotland is currently hosting an exhibition on contemporary Japanese design until 5th March 2023, and Stonehenge will host an exhibition on stone circles and the prehistoric sites of Jomon Japan from 30 Sep 2022 until August 2023.
