Travel to Japan during Covid-19: What you need to know before you go
Editor’s Note — Coronavirus cases remain high across the globe. Health officials caution that travel increases your chances of getting and spreading the virus. Staying home is the best way to stem transmission. Below is information on what to know if you still plan to travel, last updated on June 1.
The basics
On May 26, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced that tour groups made up of international travelers will be allowed to enter the country from June 10, while the number of arrivals permitted per day is to increase from 10,000 to 20,000.
The move comes after the country began trialling small-group tours of triple vaccinated tourists from Australia, the United States, Thailand and Singapore, with all participants accompanied by guides and not permitted to travel independently or venture outside of their organized itineraries.
The latest measures will see countries and regions split into three groups based on infection rates, according to a statement from Japan’s ministry of foreign affairs. Those arriving from destinations deemed low risk will be subject to less stringent entry requirements.
These “test” groups have been devised to help the Japanese government and its official tourism body decide on a road map for a larger reopening by the end of 2022.
After a member of a Thai group tour tested positive for Covid, that group’s trip was canceled. However, no changes were made to the national tourism regulations and no other group was affected.
What’s on offer
A heady mix of the cutting edge and deeply traditional, Japan remains a major draw for travelers from all over the globe. Whether participating in a traditional tea ceremony in Kyoto, scouring Tokyo’s Akihabara district for tech bargains or soaking in a hot onsen in the forests of Tohoku, this is a country that leaves its mark on all who visit.
Who can go
Japan has some of the most stringent travel restrictions in the world but plans to reopen to small groups of leisure travelers in June 2022.
When that does happen, people from countries with low infection rates will be exempt from testing upon arrival at airports in Japan and will not be required to quarantine.
What are the restrictions?
Those traveling under Japan’s revised business travel rules will need to provide proof of a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of departure, signed and stamped by the laboratory where it was taken. While they will not need to self-isolate, they will need to provide details of their movements for the following two weeks and not use public transport.
From June 10, tour groups of international travelers will be permitted to enter, with less severe restrictions in place for those from “low risk” countries.
What’s the Covid situation?
As of June 1, Japan had reported over 8.8 million confirmed cases of the virus and 30,580 deaths.
Japan’s health ministry has announced that it will allow prefectures to let younger patients who are considered lower risk to self-administer antigen tests and start isolating at home without waiting for a doctor’s diagnosis.
Previously, patients had to be registered as a Covid-19 patient by a doctor, who reported each new case to the government. If adopted, the new policy will allow patients to contact local public health centers themselves.
This measure is intended to reduce the number of people visiting hospitals and health centers.
Japan is considering following in the footsteps of Israel and encouraging older residents to get a fourth vaccine shot. The government health ministry has ordered more shots from Moderna and Pfizer in order to roll out this plan, but there is no date for the program yet.
What can visitors expect?
While much of Japan remains open for business, cities are far quieter than usual and the government has the right to request the closure of businesses in areas of high transmission. Masks must be worn in public.
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Joe Minihane, Julia Buckley and Lilit Marcus contributed to this story
