All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. At best, this helps with winter. It was finally announced that from October 11, 2022, the borders would be reopening to visa-free tourists. 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. I have been to Japan many times pre-covid, and I am now going again this year late October. These are questions among those planning trips to Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and this covers the answers. The infection situation has been stabilizing in Japan and the government will consult with public health experts before reviewing the country's . Demand vaccine certificates or PCR testing, and give people the freedom of movement. InUnguided Tours in Japan Reopening Phase Rules, we cover what this entails and the recently-released guidelines and FAQ for these tours. Lets see where THIS goes. PP PRITESH C PATEL 10 months ago How about Sept, Oct? Then theres the middle ground or base case. The country eased border controls . 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. 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. 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. 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. Japan also began allowing unguided tours, meaning ones not accompanied by tour conductors. The industry leader for online information for tax, accounting and finance professionals. Cases are currently in freefall and will continue decreasing next month before bottoming out sometime between late October and early November. Thanks for all the updates and helpful info during this stressful and hard time, Tom!! Your email address will not be published. Sheesh! You will receive a link to download the eBook and periodic emails when there's news to share. May all our trips be everything we dreamt of and more. However, Japan remains one of the few major economies with significant restrictions on travel still in place, including a cap on visitor numbers. Are you concerned that Japan wont reopen until 2023, or think October is still realistic? In our view, koyo (autumn leaves) season is a good bet, and that takes place from mid-November through December. From September 7, 2022, the country plans to drop pre-departure testing requirements for fully vaccinated travelers (including one booster dose). Read on to find out more! The ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party recognizes these problems and realizes it needs to rebuild Japans economy. First, after reopening to guided tour groups, Japan reopened to individual tourists on October 11 of last year. tomthanks for ALL the help.I was told I need the MYSOS app to enter now, but there is mixed information on JapanWeb. 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. Update: As of October 11, 2022, Japan will reopen to individual visitors on a visa-free basis. It is finally over. 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. It also will see the opening of the TIAD luxury hotel in the buzzy Sakae/Shin-Sakae entertainment districts, after the opening of the art deco hotel The Tower Hotel Nagoya (2020) on the upper levels of Nagoyas TV tower, with the large beams of the tower as a centrepiece within each room. With the relaxed travel measures, Japan is fully prepared to host these events. 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. Thanks, [] to individual tourists for the duration of the festivities. 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. 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. Ill be sticking around for the future updates and travel guides. 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. Ive missed it so much. Independent tourists are not yet granted entry, although they can be expected to be allowed back by Autumn 2022. 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. March 2023 Japan is finally open! 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. P.s. With this, the visa exemption would be reinstated, making that a non-issue. Think the need to adapt and live with the endemic virus will outweigh fear when it comes to Japans reopening plans? 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. On August 31, Kishida made an official announcement encompassing all of the rumored changes, including unguided tourists. (It took a few more days for the guidelines to be released, and the clarifying FAQ isstillbeing updated. and executives subscribed to our daily newsletter. In short, the early October reopening is not just our most optimistic viewits now what we expect to happen. Visit in Spring or Autumn. That also offers tips for avoiding crowds and strategy for visiting the best temples, shrines, and evening illuminations. 7:09. New Zealand is finally open for business. Updated August 23 2022 Japan has eased border control measures several times in. This will save you significant money on accommodations, attractions, temples, groceries, transportation, and even Michelin-rated restaurants! Build the strongest argument relying on authoritative content, attorney-editor expertise, and industry defining technology. Be part of our community of seasoned travel and hospitality industry professionals from all over the world. This . Explore Japan's lesser-known destinations over 13 adventure-packed days, sipping sake in Takayama and marvelling at the iconic floating torii gate . Japans economy has serious issues and inbound tourism was previously a bright spot. 2 days agoJapan on Monday reported 95916 new coronavirus cases. Bon voyage! 216. Who is currently allowed to travel to Japan? 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. Thanks for your commitment, communication and consultation over the last 2 years. Kishidas government has been trying to take advantage of the weak yen and accelerate growth by attracting more foreign visitors. Autumn is already a lost cause. sheeesh still cant believe my trip starting october 22nd might actually happen this time (). The specifics are not consistent among outlets, so lets start with where theyre in agreeance. 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. |. South Korea eased its border controls on visitors from China early this month, which China welcomed. With the yen weak, tourism has the potential to provide an . Among fellow G7 countries, Japan has had some of the strictest rules it comes to border restrictions. 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. 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. 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. If/when theres another winter resurgence in cases, the reopening can would effectively be kicked down the road for a few more months. Sign up here to get the latest news, updates and special offers delivered directly to your inbox. The next step for Japan, I think, is Corona downgrade and mask usage. 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. As always, Japan is cautious and conservative, with a slow and belabored decision-making process that often embodies analysis paralysis and usually defies logic. 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. 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. However, as we have seen time and time again, the patently obvious conclusion often is not the outcome reached by Japan. The number of people anxiously awaiting Japans reopening is shrinking, not growing. There will be a winter resurgence. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced the news in September at a press conference. Another possibility is that Japan will allow individual foreign tourists to enter the country andexempt them from visas if they have been vaccinated three times or submit a pre-arrival test result. 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. Thats the sharpest fall on record according to the Japan Tourism Agency. Human behavior and sentiment dont change overnight, even if its economically advantageous and objectively safer to do so. The Polynesian island country of Samoa will open its international borders in August, although again . Do I need to be vaccinated to go to Japan? Copyright - Sarah & Tom Bricker, Travel Caffeine. Japan has vilified and scapegoated foreigners and had an overly aggressive approach to its borders. Come see the new Japan. There are also signs that stringent travel measures, including the border closure, are having a greater impact on Japans economy than previously believed. From Tuesday, Japan will reinstate visa-free travel to dozens of countries, ending some of world's strictest border controls to slow the spread of COVID-19 . 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. 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. Just booked my accommodation/flights/insurance/rail pass for a 22 day trip to Hiroshima, Fukui, Kanazawa, Nagoya and Osaka! The good news is that we now have an answer to questionsweve been asking for nearly two years! Critically, this would eliminate the legal requirement of a responsible receiving party for visitors to Japan. Finally, there has been some good news about the state of the Japanese border closure for almost all tourists. Japan is a highly attractive country not only for tourism, but also for international conferences and incentive travel. 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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. Japan will close its borders to all foreigners from Tuesday, . 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 most comprehensive solution to manage all your complex and ever-expanding tax and compliance needs. Thank you Tom and to everyone for all the insights, info, and updates. Japans Ministry of Foreign Affairs has offered new guidance that were covering inJapan Reopening to Individual Tourists: FAQ, Rules & Guidelines. Updated 7 June 2022. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida reportedly plans to make a decision as early as the end of this week, according to the news outlets sources. And thank you for providing this space for all of us. js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; 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. 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. Do you or anyone here know if we need this after Oct. 11? 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. 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. Japan is always one decade lagging behind the developed world. Visa waiver is back, no daily limit and free individual visits. Japan is open to travel. We were wrongthe unguided tours offered two steps forward but one step backwards. At Juwai IQI, we believe China will maintain zero-Covid through at least the rst-quarter of 2023. What are testing, face mask, and vaccine requirements for visitors? This is despite Japans Go to Travel campaign that subsidized domestic travel, which was offered at various times during the last two years. 23/02/2023. Can you write one last update about the boarder being opened. 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. 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. Koike said that Japans borders would fully reopen soon. TOKYO, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Japan will from Wednesday ease its COVID restrictions on travellers from China, dropping a requirement that everyone take a test for the virus upon arrival, its top government spokesperson said. These measures are long-awaited news for tourists around the world who have been looking forward to visiting Japan. Japan House exhibition running until the end of January 2023, opening 29th Sep, focusing on woodwork in Hida, Takayama. Either way, thats something to continue keeping in mind. The new Trunk Hotel Yoyogi Park opens here with a rooftop infinity pool and views over the park, in 2023. I am incredibly pleased to finally welcome back individual travellers after coping with the pandemic during a wait of two-and-a-half years. 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. What follows is based on that research and fixation with the on-the-ground situation in Japan. At a news conference in New York City, where he was attending the UN General Assembly meeting, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Kiyomizu-dera Temple with cherries in full bloom: f11 photo / Shutterstock.com Situation Summary . If you cant respect another countrys Covid policies you shouldnt visit and be an entitled tourist. Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) looks forward to welcoming individual inbound travellers back to Japan with the long-awaited lifting of entry restrictions. Nov. Dec. Then Covid hit. Economists fear a double dip recession in Japan due to the prolonged closures and restrictions. Mount Fuji: One of Japan's three sacred mountains and. 01:51 . Thanks for the updates Tom and thank you to everyone who shared their thoughts and opinions over the past 2 years. Japan will further ease in June border controls implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and bring them on par with other Group of Seven nations, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Thursday. Japan has resumed its visa exemption scheme for short-stay tourism and business travel. 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.. 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. Both of these statements are reassuring given the current border closures, and indicate that Japan will unwind its travel ban in months, not years. What is required to travel to Japan and what about visas? 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. That this would be achieved in such an unexpected setting on the comments section of a single article on a white-and-orange travel blog, which came to accumulate nearly 3,000 comments as though it were a 2000s-era forum feels almost too ridiculous to be true. Cant wait! The Japanese government recently eased its COVID-19 entry restrictions, meaning tourists can now visit without being on a guided tour. first infection wave in spring 2020, and some closed again during subsequent waves; however, almost all of them are now open again. despite protests. Thank you, for this wonderful site with its very helpful regular updates! 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. In today's Face-to-Face interview, Professor Wolfgang Arlt, founder and CEO of the China Outbound . =w=)b. 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? 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. Thanks for the posts, Tom. obsolete information. 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. While it certainly sounds likethe end is nearfor the Japan travel ban, its premature to have a high degree of confidence. The total of guests at hotels and inns was 315.75 million, down 4.8% from 2020 and 47% from 2019. At that time, it was unclear whether unguided tourists would be allowed to enter. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon. Ill never forget this amazing, special blog and the unlikely community of shared pain that flourished here for as long as I live. Hi Tom, How do you view the news about guided tours? It kind of fell like a little community in here, like I know from Discord groups. You no longer need a visa to travel to Japan for up to 90 days. It is available from 10:00 to 17:00, and can be reached at 03-6233-9266. We have more good news! Spending another night in Okinawa for the 55th stay of my ongoing 87-day adventure across Japan, I absent-mindedly typed the letter J into my web browser, only to have this article come up as the first suggestion. 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. Are borders open as normal in 2023? Reuters provides business, financial, national and international news to professionals via desktop terminals, the world's media organizations, industry events and directly to consumers. For better or worse, Japan is an insular and culturally conservative countrya characteristic that is often valued by visitors. 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. 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. It's official: Japan will reopen to tourism on October 11. It has been well over two years since coronavirus initially shut down global travel. 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. Do I need to be vaccinated to enter Japan? We mention this in part to own past mistakes, but also as a cautionary tale. 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. Im inclined to say Spring 2023, but its easy to envision a worst-case that isnt until summer. You all made the (repeated) cancellations and premature excitement a bit more bearable. Japan is finally reopening its borders to mass tourism on October 11. Just open the borders already. Japan has chosen a different course. Fly into one airport and out of another Plan to do 4 nights in Singapore on way back to Australia 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. China reopening most likely late Jan/Feb 2023. Decreased tourism plus falling exports, an increased consumption tax, reduced consumer spending, weak yen, and growing national debt. Finally, Japan will reopen the border. STAY UPDATED WITH THE LATEST 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. Of . 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. The government will also take measures to stimulate and jump-start the economy. 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. 2023 when Japan is scheduled to downgrade the categorization of the virus. Screen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. Subscribers also receive a totally free copy of ourJapan on a BudgeteBook. Were preserving this for posterity, but everything that follows is now (thankfully!) 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. Given that none of the recent reports have even mentioned COVIDs status in regard to reopening, its possible our perspective was wrong. Japan Tourism: The decision means Japan will allow in a limited number of foreign tourists on package tours starting June 10. 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. 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. While I hope to see you around here on future updates, I know that probably wont be the case. oh wow!! This was a great place to keep up to date on the happenings. 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. Travel Daily - Informing, connecting and developing the worlds travel industry professionals. 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. Compared with the pre-pandemic level in 2019, it dropped 99.2 percent. We eagerly await your arrival!. }(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. While the daily number of arrivals was higher pre-closure, we assumed that 50,000 is the level at which this cap becomes immaterial with China still sidelined. 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. 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. Its now the popular position being advanced publicly by politicians, not just being advocated by Keidanren or Japans business lobby. Over two years into this, the seasonality of COVID transmission is well-established. We had a nice little community here, and that was greatly appreciated. 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. Thank you Tom for providing us a platform to discuss thing amidst all the confusing developments and giving us updates. Japan finally opened its borders to tourists on Friday, but with strict rules. On August 23, specifics of the September relaxation measures were leaked to the same media outlets. 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. Its entirely possible that Kishida sees this polling and his sagging approval numbers and realizes that its time to move forward. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. If youre planning your trip to Japan, what do you think about these itineraries? Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. Thanks again for all the work you put into this. Thats a wild card that could further extend any timeline. 2023 - Travel Daily. 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. 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. The endisnear. A Hong Kong women's rights group cancelled a demonstration at the last minute on Saturday after police said violent groups might want to join the protest.