Its possible the country views this as sufficient for tourism businesses to stave off bankruptcy or other financial hardship for another few months. 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. Unlike the ever-sensational, click-hungry news, it was immediately clear whether something had actually happened (and thereby I could close out of the tab without being sucked into the latest round of Corona-related doom and gloom), and unlike virtually any other Japan-centric community Id encountered so far, it was a positive and generally healthy environment with a pleasant, level-headed and responsible leader at its helm. oh wow!! Japan finally opened its borders to tourists on Friday, but with strict rules. Call 81 3 3201 3331. Mount Fuji: One of Japan's three sacred mountains and. The changes were intended to "support smooth international travels, given a low rate of positive test results among entrants", Matsuno said. Japan is open to travel. Japan has maintained some of the strictest ), 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. Sign up here to get the latest news, updates and special offers delivered directly to your inbox. js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. They can be reached by phone from 10:00 to 17:00, Monday through Friday, at 0120-296-004. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. On the same topic. Thank you Tom and to everyone for all the insights, info, and updates. Japan relaxed its border measures earlier in September while still being #1 in the world for new cases. Hi Tom and THANK YOU for everything this platform had AND still has to offer! for individual tourists. Wow, i cant believe it. Among fellow G7 countries, Japan has had some of the strictest rules it comes to border restrictions. We have to carry it out in the not-so-distant future, he said. 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. Economists fear a double dip recession in Japan due to the prolonged closures and restrictions. It is available from 10:00 to 17:00, and can be reached at 03-6233-9266. The ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party recognizes these problems and realizes it needs to rebuild Japans economy. Additionally, the Japan National Tourism Organization has set 2024 as its goal for recovering to 2019 international travel levels. Cases are currently in freefall and will continue decreasing next month before bottoming out sometime between late October and early November. 216. Best wishes to everyone on your travels!! Japan fully reopening in full is all but inevitable at this point. In short, the early October reopening is not just our most optimistic viewits now what we expect to happen. so its confirmed Thanks so much Tom. 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. I have been to Japan many times pre-covid, and I am now going again this year late October. Economic benefits of international tourists is one big reason why Japan is expected to reopen its border. Independent tourists are not yet granted entry, although they can be expected to be allowed back by Autumn 2022. Despite the aforementioned numbers, Japan is maintaining its goal of attracting 60 million foreign visitors by 2030. 2.Realistic time needed to get a feel for Japan. Copyright - Sarah & Tom Bricker, Travel Caffeine. Ive missed it so much. The good news is that we now have an answer to questionsweve been asking for nearly two years! 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. Ill never forget this amazing, special blog and the unlikely community of shared pain that flourished here for as long as I live. 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. But whatever winter wave occurs (and onewillhappen), thats unlikely to be an obstacle to reopening progress, as was the case last year. Can I Travel to Japan Now? The specifics are not consistent among outlets, so lets start with where theyre in agreeance. 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. 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. With the relaxed travel measures, Japan is fully prepared to host these events. . 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. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is. Airlines will also be allowed to operate direct flights from China to more Japanese airports, Matsuno said. The provisional measures from March 1, 2023. . Thatll help you prepare for arrival, and potentially save time at the airport. So why aren't tourists coming back? 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 . 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.. Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. 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. (Im sorry, I cant help myself. Be part of our community of seasoned travel and hospitality industry professionals from all over the world. Visit Japan Web App also let me pre fill out for immigration and customs, and just use the QR codes for those as well. 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 . Ive started to see on JP twitter people asking for No mask in Japan too, so the sentiment is shifting even there. That would mean individual tourists would not be welcomed back to Japan until sometime in the first half of 2023. Thanks Tom, and everyone! Those reading regular updates on Japans reopening are not representative of international travelers at large. One wildcard is the downgrade of COVIDs legal status. Thats a wild card that could further extend any timeline. 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. Take a dip in one at the soon-to-open, . Thank you Tom for providing us a platform to discuss thing amidst all the confusing developments and giving us updates. 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. Just booked my accommodation/flights/insurance/rail pass for a 22 day trip to Hiroshima, Fukui, Kanazawa, Nagoya and Osaka! That's a hardship for the many. Lets see where THIS goes. 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. 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. May 6, 2022. The Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism, Wada Kouichi . js.src = "//forms.aweber.com/form/28/412454028.js"; This is despite Japans Go to Travel campaign that subsidized domestic travel, which was offered at various times during the last two years. Those two posts cover essentially everything you need to know about visiting Japan as of 2023. It's official: Japan will reopen to tourism on October 11. 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. 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. 2023 when Japan is scheduled to downgrade the categorization of the virus. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida reportedly plans to make a decision as early as the end of this week, according to the news outlets sources. We will review all three restrictions together. Thank you so much for this free and respectful space for everyones opinions that has helped us get through these difficult years. 2023 will bring the opening of a farm area for agritourism, with a private villa area due to open in 2024. See countries around the world ring in 2023 with a bang. It will happen soon. The industry leader for online information for tax, accounting and finance professionals. On August 31, Kishida made an official announcement encompassing all of the rumored changes, including unguided tourists. KONO Taro (@konotaromp) September 22, 2022 "Finally, Japan will reopen the border,". Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the worlds largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every day. (February 2023 Update). At best, this helps with winter. 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. Just open the borders already. 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. Starting Tuesday October 11, Japan will drop its 50,000 entry cap and will allow independent tourists to visit Japan visa-free. I am incredibly pleased to finally welcome back individual travellers after coping with the pandemic during a wait of two-and-a-half years. In today's Face-to-Face interview, Professor Wolfgang Arlt, founder and CEO of the China Outbound . China reopening most likely late Jan/Feb 2023. For better or worse, Japan is an insular and culturally conservative countrya characteristic that is often valued by visitors. With this, the visa exemption would be reinstated, making that a non-issue. But I was there from the beginning, first as a lurker and then eventually as a participant, so I know precisely how it came to be. 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? of course the opposition (not all of it, from what I read) is against this. Thanks to so many of you regular readers and commenters who made the last couple of years easier, shared articles, optimistic/pessimistic updates, and so much more. We can't expect Japanese government to reopen their border on April 2022 due to the emergence of Omicron variant. 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. Cheers . . 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. Nov. 18, 2021 10:20 am JST Nov. 26, 2021 . It was, indeed, a rare bright spot in such a dark, sad time. 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. Do I need to be vaccinated to go to Japan? Is Japan open for internationalindividual travelers? Japan reopened its borders to independent foreign travelers and reintroduced visa-free entry from October 11, 2022. . Weve already returned to Japan, spending about a month in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and elsewhere. Subscribers also receive a totally free copy of ourJapan on a BudgeteBook. Again, if youd like to be notified as soon as more details are released or rumored, subscribe to ourfree email newsletter for ongoing updates and alerts: (function(d, s, id) { Japan and South Korea imposed stricter border control on travellers from China after COVID cases surged there when it lifted its strict zero-COVID policy late last year. Thanks for the updates Tom and thank you to everyone who shared their thoughts and opinions over the past 2 years. Update: As of October 11, 2022, Japan will reopen to individual visitors on a visa-free basis. Bon voyage! We also recommend consulting ourUltimate Guide to KyotoandUltimate Guide to Tokyoto plan. 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. 1. Explore Japan's lesser-known destinations over 13 adventure-packed days, sipping sake in Takayama and marvelling at the iconic floating torii gate . Against that economic backdrop, lets take a look at the latest changes to Japans reopening plans. TRAVEL NEWS, JOBS & EVENTS! That also offers tips for avoiding crowds and strategy for visiting the best temples, shrines, and evening illuminations. }(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. Japan has resumed its visa exemption scheme for short-stay tourism and business travel. 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. 32 last-minute Valentine's Day 2023 gifts . We mention this in part to own past mistakes, but also as a cautionary tale. 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. 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. Demand vaccine certificates or PCR testing, and give people the freedom of movement. 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. Decreased tourism plus falling exports, an increased consumption tax, reduced consumer spending, weak yen, and growing national debt. Second, theres awareness within theKishida administration that the window of opportunity to reopen the border is closing. 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. Were preserving this for posterity, but everything that follows is now (thankfully!) The Mana Village A collection of villa properties opening in stages on the wild and rustic southern coastline of Kochi prefecture, on Shikoku island. 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. Ill be sticking around for the future updates and travel guides. 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. (This number includes hotels used as government quarantine facilities, not just leisure stays.). We have more good news! 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. In such a scenario, the borders could almost immediately return to their normal pre-closure status in early October. Essentially, there will be no (legal) basis for the current border protocol effective May 8, 2023. [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 Updated 7 June 2022. Shimokitazawa An ongoing redevelopment around a suburban railway line stretching across three stations (Senrogai), cementing the districts place as a youth culture hub. This is. Summary Since October 2022, Japan is fully open, without the requirement for a visa for most visitors. despite protests. Thanks to everyone in here in the comments for that! Its entirely possible that Kishida sees this polling and his sagging approval numbers and realizes that its time to move forward. Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) looks forward to welcoming individual inbound travellers back to Japan with the long-awaited lifting of entry restrictions. Read on to find out more! Japan has vilified and scapegoated foreigners and had an overly aggressive approach to its borders. 2 days agoJapan on Monday reported 95916 new coronavirus cases. Visa waiver is back, no daily limit and free individual visits. 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. Thanks for the posts, Tom. TEL: 0120-248-668 (Japanese only) . Any questions? Japan: A deep-fried pork . It was finally announced that from October 11, 2022, the borders would be reopening to visa-free tourists. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Lets say that happens in early November. Thats the sharpest fall on record according to the Japan Tourism Agency. (Updated February 12, 2023.). The country is also bringing back visa-free entry for visitors from more than 60 countries. This will save you significant money on accommodations, attractions, temples, groceries, transportation, and even Michelin-rated restaurants! 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 is now allowing foreign nationals to enter Japan for purposes other than tourism so long as they have a sponsor in the country. During the Bloomberg New Voices panel,Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said she would open the countrys doors tomorrow if it were her decision. If you want a copy of thistotally freeeBook and Japan reopening updates, all you need to do issubscribe to our newsletter! First, theres already the realization that unguided tourslike guided tours before themwill not move the needle on inbound tourism in any meaningful way. With the yen weak, tourism has the potential to provide an . We know there are a lot of people overseas who want to come to Japan, Kihara added. Japan opening borders 2022 for tourists. 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. Sheesh! 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. Nov. Dec. Then Covid hit. 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. 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. The government will also take measures to stimulate and jump-start the economy. Im inclined to say Spring 2023, but its easy to envision a worst-case that isnt until summer. What we had here was a weird little community of sorts, and a really nice one considering the circumstances. Japan reopened its borders to holders of long-term visitor, business or student visas on 1 June 2022, as well as to tourists on authorised package tours. Nevertheless, despite loosening restrictions in September, travelers will still need to . There are no quarantine requirements, and travel is visa-free for the vast majority of people reading this. By Lilit Marcus, CNN Published 9:20 PM EDT, Sun July 31, 2022 Link Copied! Given that none of the recent reports have even mentioned COVIDs status in regard to reopening, its possible our perspective was wrong. World News Reuters Updated: May 30, 2022 2:06 pm IST By. first infection wave in spring 2020, and some closed again during subsequent waves; however, almost all of them are now open again. With all of that in mind, we remain cautiously optimistic that individual tourists will be allowed to enter Japan sooner rather than later. Kiyomizu-dera Temple with cherries in full bloom: f11 photo / Shutterstock.com Situation Summary