February 24th, 2022 at 2:15 PM EST Skift Take Japan is clearly taking steps to prepare for a reopening to foreign tourists not just the gradual border easing that will take place next month.. From October 11th 2022, Japan removed visa requirements and arrival caps, returning to pre-pandemic travel arrangements. We have all the answers you need about Japans full border opening on 11. Copyright - Sarah & Tom Bricker, Travel Caffeine. Guidelines for tourist attractions are straightforward. Basically, travelling with a guide either as part of a group or a private guide just for you and your travel companion(s). Koike said that Japans borders would fully reopen soon. The arrivals cap would also be eliminated in this scenario. We also recommend consulting ourUltimate Guide to KyotoandUltimate Guide to Tokyoto plan. Subscribers also receive a totally free copy of ourJapan on a BudgeteBook. 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. Japan finally reopened its borders to independent foreign travelers and reintroduced visa-free entry from October 11, 2022. Japan will reopen its borders to foreign tourists June 10, 2022, but only to package tour participants for now, officials said Thursday, as the country starts to cautiously open its borders to . Decreased tourism plus falling exports, an increased consumption tax, reduced consumer spending, weak yen, and growing national debt. The U.S. Embassy strongly urges any U.S. citizens considering travel to Japan to carefully review the information available from the Government of Japan. js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; If you are triple-vaxxed (ie, boosted), you do NOT need proof of a negative Covid test taken within 72 hours of boarding your flight to Japan. With the yen weak, tourism has the potential to . Japan on Friday eased its borders for foreign tourists. As governor of Tokyo, that would be tomorrow.. 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. 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. Any questions? Compared with the pre-pandemic level in 2019, it dropped 99.2 percent. Kiyomizu-dera Temple with cherries in full bloom: f11 photo / Shutterstock.com Situation Summary Japan is always magical, but if you like to have the magic all to yourself, 2022 could be a once in a lifetime opportunity! Here are cities with direct flights to Japan and the airlines that operate them. 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. From the beginning this page was the only place I checked (sometimes daily) for hope. In May, 2022, a highly anticipated announcement by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida led many to despair. See details here. Follow the Department of State on Facebook and Twitter. All others must show such proof. obsolete information. This is the first step in our gradual easing of the [border] restrictions, Kishida has said. Its pretty clear the government is focused on moving forward. Can you really see Japan's best bits on a budget? However, as we have seen time and time again, the patently obvious conclusion often is not the outcome reached by Japan. 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. On Tuesday, the country. Learn about the current situation, checklist for tourists, entry restrictions and safety measures before you travel. Of course, things could change between now and then, but its likely the border will revert to late 2019 status as of that date. 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. Thanks, [] to individual tourists for the duration of the festivities. On 10 June 2022, Japan finally started allowing international tourists into the country for the first time in . The Japan Times LTD. All rights reserved. Either way, thats something to continue keeping in mind. Japan has maintained fairly strict border control since the pandemic began however as of October 11th, 2022, all COVID restrictions and border controls have been lifted. At that time, it was unclear whether unguided tourists would be allowed to enter. This is despite Japans Go to Travel campaign that subsidized domestic travel, which was offered at various times during the last two years. This is would allow a bit of wiggle room for Japans slow and belabored decision-making process that involves a lot of careful consideration and evaluating the situation. If anything has been well-established during the last two-plus years, its that inaction is Japans baseline, and anything that does happen occurs gradually and in stages. 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Thank you Tom for providing us a platform to discuss thing amidst all the confusing developments and giving us updates. Youll be matched with a Travel Consultant wholl get to know you, your interests, your ideas and add their own advice and recommendations. It is finally over. As countries across Asia reopen to international travelers, Japan one of the continent's most popular destinations remains firmly closed. Yes, visa free tourism resumed October 11, 2022. We recommend carrying a tube of hand cream, as some formulas can be quite drying. On August 23, specifics of the September relaxation measures were leaked to the same media outlets. May all our trips be everything we dreamt of and more. Ready for the trip of a lifetime? That theres more upside than downside risk in reopening and encouraging more economic activity. . Dining out doesnt mean getting rid of the mask. japan, . Any thoughts or tips of your own to add? Hardly a week goes by when we don't get this question from a TravelSort Client. Visa-free, independent travel is now possible for most nationalities. Heres a full list of all the countries and regions eligible for visa-free travel to Japan. This was a great place to keep up to date on the happenings. 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. UPDATE: The Japanese government announced on May 26, 2022, that Japan will reopen for tourists visiting on packaged tours starting June 10, 2022. If you're not sure how to activate it, please refer to this site. 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. Japan relaxed its border measures earlier in September while still being #1 in the world for new cases. Early detection of postpartum depression? It now appears that the time is hereor coming very soon. A shopping street in Tokyo's Asakusa district Friday, June 10, 2022. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. 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. Ill never forget this amazing, special blog and the unlikely community of shared pain that flourished here for as long as I live. Except for everyone wearing masks, things seemed mostly back to normal. Thats the sharpest fall on record according to the Japan Tourism Agency. In terms of the latest news, the current vaccine and testing policies are likely to end on May 8, 2023. Here at InsideJapan, we pride ourselves on creating (hands-down) the best cultural adventures to Japan (and we measure that by our average customer rating of 4.9/5). Japan Tourism: The decision means Japan will allow in a limited number of foreign . This means that people can book their own flights, accommodation and experiences, without having to go through a travel agent, which was the previous rule. While the stares have eased, and it is okay to take off the mask at the table, make sure to wear it if you need to use the toilet or even to speak to a waiter. 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. May its borders remain open forevermore. 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