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. Japan to reinstate ban on foreign visitors, G7 to meet over new Covid Japan: A deep-fried pork . We know there are a lot of people overseas who want to come to Japan, Kihara added. In short, the early October reopening is not just our most optimistic viewits now what we expect to happen. KONO Taro (@konotaromp) September 22, 2022 "Finally, Japan will reopen the border,". Can I Travel to Japan Now? 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. 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. This includes business travelers on short stays, students in study abroad programs, participants in technical internships, both guided & unguided tour groups, spouses or children (and other relatives) of a Japanese national/permanent resident, others with special exceptional circumstances, and those who would provide a public benefit to Japan. Japan to increase daily border cap to 5,000 people from Nov 26 Why You Should Visit Japan in 2023and Where to Go The country is also bringing back visa-free entry for visitors from more than 60 countries. This is in the context of the ongoing community-led revitalisation of the little-known Koganecho area which has welcomed the opening of an artist-in-residence programme, galleries, art classes, a book bazaar and new street art installations. Were excited about this great (but overdue) news, but also go in knowing that things will be different, in ways both good and bad. Was less crowded than when I was there before, especially at the airport. Critically, this would eliminate the legal requirement of a responsible receiving party for visitors to Japan. 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. All Rights Reserved. Japan reopens its borders. Are tourists ready to return? If you want a copy of thistotally freeeBook and Japan reopening updates, all you need to do issubscribe to our newsletter! Think the need to adapt and live with the endemic virus will outweigh fear when it comes to Japans reopening plans? Just open the borders already. TRAVEL NEWS, JOBS & EVENTS! 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. Japan's struggling tourism sector despairs at lack of COVID exit These measures are long-awaited news for tourists around the world who have been looking forward to visiting Japan. Japan plans to reopen to independent travelers in major shift, report As improbable as it mightve seemed even a week ago, Japan welcoming back international visitors who are not part of tours (guided or unguided) sometime before November is likely. Quite simply,Japan is inflicting pain on itself by remaining closed. 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 . Ill never forget this amazing, special blog and the unlikely community of shared pain that flourished here for as long as I live. Japan opens borders to tourists as last pandemic travel restrictions I just got back from my first post re-opening trip to Japan, and am open to answering questions. May 6, 2022. 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. The Tokyo Olympics briefly saw Japan reopen its borders to the world (a year later than planned) in 2021, amid the onset of the pandemic, but just three months after the closing ceremony Prime Minister Fumio Kishida banned all incoming foreign travellers in a bid to prevent the spread of omicron. Would you consider visiting Japan later this year, or is international travel out of the question for you anytime soon? Thanks for your commitment, communication and consultation over the last 2 years. It was finally announced that from October 11, 2022, the borders would be reopening to visa-free tourists. 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. 216. Against that economic backdrop, lets take a look at the latest changes to Japans reopening plans. You all made the (repeated) cancellations and premature excitement a bit more bearable. 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. How do you view the news about guided tours? I have been to Japan many times pre-covid, and I am now going again this year late October. Except for everyone wearing masks, things seemed mostly back to normal. Will Japan Ever Reopen Its Borders To Tourists?!? There are also signs that stringent travel measures, including the border closure, are having a greater impact on Japans economy than previously believed. ), 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. The political and economic appetite for fully relaxation now clearly exists, and theres a vocal chorus of politicians in Japanincluding those who were previously in favor of closed borderschampioning reopening. New Zealand, Japan and Samoa set to reopen to visitors | CNN 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. Finally booked my flights, enjoy your trips everyone! Hi Tom, World News Reuters Updated: May 30, 2022 2:06 pm IST 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. The new Trunk Hotel Yoyogi Park opens here with a rooftop infinity pool and views over the park, in 2023. Japan also began allowing unguided tours, meaning ones not accompanied by tour conductors. 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. We can't expect Japanese government to reopen their border on April 2022 due to the emergence of Omicron variant. Decreased tourism plus falling exports, an increased consumption tax, reduced consumer spending, weak yen, and growing national debt. 7:09. Did the Visit Japan Web App before arrival and was simple getting through everything at Narita, just had to show them the QR codes, two people traveling, one with the triple vaccination and one just using pre travel PCR test. Japan Eyes Spring 2022 for Reopening to Travelers Japan fully reopened its borders to tourists on October 11, 2022. Japan House exhibition running until the end of January 2023, opening 29th Sep, focusing on woodwork in Hida, Takayama. It was, indeed, a rare bright spot in such a dark, sad time. Japan to lift COVID-19 entry ban for 106 countries - RAPPLER Ill be sticking around for the future updates and travel guides. Who knowsit still may take until early 2023 to fully downgrade the legal status of COVID. Was great being here. The specifics are not consistent among outlets, so lets start with where theyre in agreeance. 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. Its thus our view that Japan reopening in some capacity to individual tourists in October is a very realistic scenario. While it certainly sounds likethe end is nearfor the Japan travel ban, its premature to have a high degree of confidence. Though some things feel different, this nation Ive travelled for the last two months, ing and ing about the forty-seven prefectures as I once did in the 2010s, is certainly the same marvellous place that I fell in love with so long ago. Mount Fuji: One of Japan's three sacred mountains and. Japan, one of the world's last major holdouts during the pandemic, is dissolving its COVID-19 restrictions and opening the door back up to mass tourism. With the relaxed travel measures, Japan is fully prepared to host these events. As countries across Asia reopen to international travelers, Japan one of the continent's most popular destinations remains firmly closed. Update: As of October 11, 2022, Japan will reopen to individual visitors on a visa-free basis. tomthanks for ALL the help.I was told I need the MYSOS app to enter now, but there is mixed information on JapanWeb. A guide to all things new in Japan in 2023, Japan in 2023: A bucket-list-worthy adventure, These locations in Japan inspired beloved Studio Ghibli films, AutoFlight achieves worlds longest eVTOL Flight, Accors Mvenpick BalaLand Resort Lake Balatonopens in, AirAsia X resumes services to Shanghai with four weekly. Read on to find out more! May its borders remain open forevermore. Then theres the middle ground or base case. 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. 23/02/2023. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. 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. Felix Ng. All Asia-Pacific's Biggest Races Return for a Primed and Ready 2023 More likely, the impact wont be fully felt until next years cherry blossom season. Kiyomizu-dera Temple with cherries in full bloom: f11 photo / Shutterstock.com Situation Summary Thank you, for this wonderful site with its very helpful regular updates! It remains unknown when independent travelers will be able to enter the. 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. Want to receive free updates on when Japan will reopen for travel? The Japanese government recently eased its COVID-19 entry restrictions, meaning tourists can now visit without being on a guided tour. Im very glad its dead but am also appreciative of what existed while it did. Commentary: Tourists would love to visit Japan. Will Japan love them Its been our perspective that this was a necessary prerequisite towelcoming individual tourists as there would no longer be a need for a responsible receiving party to monitor travelers and act as a liaison for infected individuals. Thats simply a good time to visit Japan and, hopefully, the country will be open to individual tourists by then. 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. Over two years into this, the seasonality of COVID transmission is well-established. Asia Welcomes Travelers, but Japan Says, Not Yet - The New York Times It kind of fell like a little community in here, like I know from Discord groups. . Is this a here we go again moment looming? Hi Tom and THANK YOU for everything this platform had AND still has to offer! But whatever winter wave occurs (and onewillhappen), thats unlikely to be an obstacle to reopening progress, as was the case last year. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Visa waiver is back, no daily limit and free individual visits. 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. We will review all three restrictions together. Thank you Tom for providing us a platform to discuss thing amidst all the confusing developments and giving us updates. 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. Our view is that the worst-case scenario is nowhighlyunlikely. Bon voyage! With all of that in mind, we remain cautiously optimistic that individual tourists will be allowed to enter Japan sooner rather than later. Among fellow G7 countries, Japan has had some of the strictest rules it comes to border restrictions. Updated August 23 2022 Japan has eased border control measures several times in. People attending the Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC 2023, sing the national anthem during the opening session, at the National Harbor, in Oxon Hill, Md., Thursday, March 2, 2023. Demand vaccine certificates or PCR testing, and give people the freedom of movement. This assumes thatJapan downgrades COVID-19 from its special status to Category 5 literally any day now orthat this is not a necessary prerequisite to an individual tourist reopening. Nov. Dec. Then Covid hit. This is the end weve all be anxiously awaiting for ~2 years! 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. The government is planning to submit a bill in October, which could give accommodation operators more authority to impose these types of infection control measures. Thats all we need, more authority (power), given to an already power drunk country, to impose more measures on us tourists. 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. The Polynesian island country of Samoa will open its international borders in August, although again . 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. (It took a few more days for the guidelines to be released, and the clarifying FAQ isstillbeing updated. 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. Japan to reopen to mass tourism in October | CNN despite protests. STAY UPDATED WITH THE LATEST Japan reopened its borders to independent foreign travelers and reintroduced visa-free entry from October 11, 2022. . Are you concerned that Japan wont reopen until 2023, or think October is still realistic? South Korea eased its border controls on visitors from China early this month, which China welcomed. It now appears that the time is hereor coming very soon. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is. 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.