Since the pandemic started, Japan has been closed to tourists for more than two years. However, as many countries across the world have begun to ease up their border restrictions Japan is beginning to follow suit.
Photo by Walter Mario Stein on Unsplash
It was recently announced that Japan will finally allow tourists back in but on a strictly trial basis after a near-blanket ban on entry by foreign visitors since the COVID-19 pandemic flared in early 2020. Japan aims to reopen to international tourists in June, as mentioned by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during a visit to London.
Photo Credit: Photo by Evgeny Tchebotarev
The Prime Minister also added that changes to Japan’s entry requirements would be implemented in stages. The Japanese government will wait two weeks to see the impact of the Golden Week holidays (May 3rd to May 5th) before making a final decision, reports Nikkei. The country may reopen first to small tour groups before cranking open the door for general tourism, according to The Japan Times.
In recent months, the government has gradually eased conditions for entry to business travelers, students and technical intern trainees. The daily entry quota of 10,000 for foreign visitors is also expected to be gradually raised, according to the sources.
It plans to raise the cap as well as the number of foreign tourists in stages in the months to come.
Photo by Jezael Melgoza on Unsplash
Japan imposed an entry ban on nonresident foreign nationals in late November to curb the spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant, facing criticism at home and abroad that the measures were too strict.
So be prepared and get your passports ready as Japan will soon open up for tourists to visit!
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Feature Photo Credit: Photo by Satoshi Hirayama
