Even if China begins opening sooner, we forecast China will not fully reopen until at . Japan is finally reopening its borders to mass tourism on October 11. 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. Thanks for all the updates and helpful info during this stressful and hard time, Tom!! 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. if (d.getElementById(id)) return; 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. Im very glad its dead but am also appreciative of what existed while it did. for individual tourists. Economists fear a double dip recession in Japan due to the prolonged closures and restrictions. This was a great place to keep up to date on the happenings. 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. This is where there is disagreement among the major outlets. 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 is always one decade lagging behind the developed world. . It's official: Japan will reopen to tourism on October 11. You no longer need a visa to travel to Japan for up to 90 days. Fly into one airport and out of another Plan to do 4 nights in Singapore on way back to Australia We will review all three restrictions together. 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. (February 2023 Update). Marufukuro Located in the former HQ of pop culture behemoth Nintendo, this Kyoto hotel is a stylishly renovated property opened in 2022, featuring a suite of exclusive rooms in a richly storied building, with a special whiskey bar and library showcasing the works of Nintendo pre-Super Mario and then through the ages until now. Japan opening borders 2022 for tourists. Like a moth to a flame.). It thus stands to reason that opening to individual tourists necessarily needs to occurthat raising the entry cap will do nothing in furtherance of their stated goal. Essentially, there will be no (legal) basis for the current border protocol effective May 8, 2023. While it certainly sounds likethe end is nearfor the Japan travel ban, its premature to have a high degree of confidence. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is. Also as previously mentioned, recent poll data also shows the public is now far less concerned with COVID than the economy, Unification Church scandal, Abes state funeral, and other issues. It is available from 10:00 to 17:00, and can be reached at 03-6233-9266. We mention this in part to own past mistakes, but also as a cautionary tale. The total of guests at hotels and inns was 315.75 million, down 4.8% from 2020 and 47% from 2019. 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. Can I Travel to Japan Now? P.s. of course the opposition (not all of it, from what I read) is against this. Any questions? Thanks to so many of you regular readers and commenters who made the last couple of years easier, shared articles, optimistic/pessimistic updates, and so much more. 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From the beginning this page was the only place I checked (sometimes daily) for hope. Economic migrants are sending more teenagers and children into the United States via a much-traveled loophole in President Joe Biden's much-touted border curbs. As weve stressed repeatedly, Japans populace has been among the most cautious in the world with regard to COVID-19. Any thoughts or tips of your own to add? Japan will open an embassy in Malta. Would you consider visiting Japan later this year, or is international travel out of the question for you anytime soon? Best wishes to everyone on your travels!! One wildcard is the downgrade of COVIDs legal status. But whatever winter wave occurs (and onewillhappen), thats unlikely to be an obstacle to reopening progress, as was the case last year. While I hope to see you around here on future updates, I know that probably wont be the case. It is finally over. Japan fully reopening in full is all but inevitable at this point. oh wow!! . This is the first step in our gradual easing of the [border] restrictions, Kishida has said. Currently, citizens of 68 countries and regions will be allowed to . REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon. Japan has chosen a different course. Human behavior and sentiment dont change overnight, even if its economically advantageous and objectively safer to do so. Thats a wild card that could further extend any timeline. 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. Update: As of October 11, 2022, Japan will reopen to individual visitors on a visa-free basis. 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. Japan is now allowing foreign nationals to enter Japan for purposes other than tourism so long as they have a sponsor in the country. Visa waiver is back, no daily limit and free individual visits. Finally, the worst-case scenario is that Japan instead opts to revive its Go to Travel campaign just in time for fall colors season, and uses that to buoy the tourism sector through December. 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. First, there is consensus that the daily arrival cap, which is currently set at 50,000, will be eliminated entirely. 2 days agoJapan on Monday reported 95916 new coronavirus cases. despite protests. obsolete information. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida reportedly plans to make a decision as early as the end of this week, according to the news outlets sources. Copyright - Sarah & Tom Bricker, Travel Caffeine. For these two-plus years, weve been closely monitoring the situation in Japan, watching several hours of NHK each day and reading multiple Japanese news sources. Mount Fuji: One of Japan's three sacred mountains and. 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. 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. The national border is under the management of central government, Koike said. They can be reached by phone from 10:00 to 17:00, Monday through Friday, at 0120-296-004. Ive missed it so much. However, the number of foreign visitors to Japan dropped to 245,900 last year, the lowest since 1964, as the country enforced tighter border controls. Ill never forget this amazing, special blog and the unlikely community of shared pain that flourished here for as long as I live. For more than two years, the nation was effectively impossible visit Japan. The country is also bringing back visa-free entry for visitors from more than 60 countries. 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. 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. Summary Since October 2022, Japan is fully open, without the requirement for a visa for most visitors. . Who knowsit still may take until early 2023 to fully downgrade the legal status of COVID. Im so excited and happy for everyone! Yet despite the wealth of praises I have for Tom, this article and its two-year community, I am so, so glad, perhaps gladder than ever now, that compulsively opening this link in my browser is no longer part of my daily routine. Sheesh! Thats simply a good time to visit Japan and, hopefully, the country will be open to individual tourists by then. 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. That would mean individual tourists would not be welcomed back to Japan until sometime in the first half of 2023. I already moved on to read your other Japan travel posts to get tips which are also so helpful! However, as we have seen time and time again, the patently obvious conclusion often is not the outcome reached by Japan. All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. I am incredibly pleased to finally welcome back individual travellers after coping with the pandemic during a wait of two-and-a-half years. First, theres already the realization that unguided tourslike guided tours before themwill not move the needle on inbound tourism in any meaningful way. }(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. What is required to travel to Japan and what about visas? Kihara isnt the only one who has been vocal about fully reopening to tourists recently. This is now the same as the best-case scenario. As governor of Tokyo, that would be tomorrow.. May all our trips be everything we dreamt of and more. The country eased border controls . 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. For better or worse, Japan is an insular and culturally conservative countrya characteristic that is often valued by visitors. There are no quarantine requirements, and travel is visa-free for the vast majority of people reading this. The ban on tourists due to the outbreak of COVID-19 has been in effect since April 2020, and for a long time, there has been no clear timeline on when the borders of Japan would be reopening again for tourism. Thanks again for all the work you put into this. We know there are a lot of people overseas who want to come to Japan, Kihara added. Hi Tom and THANK YOU for everything this platform had AND still has to offer! Okushibu The nickname given to Deep Shibuya, this secluded strip around Yoyogi and parallel to the new rooftop Miyashita Park, has seen an explosion in late night caf culture, unique eateries and flower shops. I land on Nov. 2, the website the new form come out Nov.I am so confusedbut no one seems to come here anymore.if anyone reads this please answer if you can. I am so glad that our community died, and that all of us who were trapped in this purgatory for so long have finally been able to resume our travels, adventures and lifestyles. 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. Shimokitazawa An ongoing redevelopment around a suburban railway line stretching across three stations (Senrogai), cementing the districts place as a youth culture hub. Will Japan open borders in 2023? Bon voyage! The Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism, Wada Kouichi . By contrast,Fuji TV is treating this as a done deal, using less ambiguous language. Japan has resumed its visa exemption scheme for short-stay tourism and business travel. 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. By Lilit Marcus, CNN Published 9:20 PM EDT, Sun July 31, 2022 Link Copied! Those two posts cover essentially everything you need to know about visiting Japan as of 2023. PP PRITESH C PATEL 10 months ago How about Sept, Oct? This is the end weve all be anxiously awaiting for ~2 years! Thanks, [] to individual tourists for the duration of the festivities. Additionally, the Japan National Tourism Organization has set 2024 as its goal for recovering to 2019 international travel levels. Build the strongest argument relying on authoritative content, attorney-editor expertise, and industry defining technology. According to data from the Japan Tourism Agency, stays athotels and other accommodation facilities hit another record low in Japan last yearbreaking the previous record set in 2020. 01:51 . 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. ), 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 country is also about to increase the daily cap of tourists allowed to enter Japan from 20,000 to 50,000. It could start as soon as late November, but is more likely in December. Japan has announced it will lift tough Covid restrictions on foreign tourists, reopening the borders after two and a half years. The Mana Village A collection of villa properties opening in stages on the wild and rustic southern coastline of Kochi prefecture, on Shikoku island. 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. InUnguided Tours in Japan Reopening Phase Rules, we cover what this entails and the recently-released guidelines and FAQ for these tours. Do you or anyone here know if we need this after Oct. 11? "We will lift the ceiling of the number of entrants. fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); Japan also began allowing unguided tours, meaning ones not accompanied by tour conductors. On October 11, Japan will finally open its doors to independent travel following more than two years of some of the world's toughest border restrictions. WHO urges countries to keep borders open as world races to contain Covid variant. Not sure whether youll ever see this, but just want to let you know that I saw your comment and really appreciate you taking the time to share. The Government of Japan announced a policy of resuming entry by individual travellers for tourism purposes beginning on October 11. In various updates here, weve been sharing our experiences and what its like as a foreign visitor, what has changed, crowd conditions, expenses of visiting Japan with the weaker yen, and much more. 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. The good news is that we now have an answer to questionsweve been asking for nearly two years! Just open the borders already. 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. It remains unknown when independent travelers will be able to enter the. As COVID-19's Omicron variant surges around the world, advanced democracies are generally responding vigorously but with lower levels of restrictions on social life and travel than in 2020 and 2021. 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. I wish you all the best with your upcoming tripsthanks again for everything. The Japanese government recently eased its COVID-19 entry restrictions, meaning tourists can now visit without being on a guided tour. Is Japan open for internationalindividual travelers? The downgrade would pave the way for a normalization of social and economic activities in Japan, and should mean that non-residents are able to enter the country without PCR tests or additional paperwork. Saturday, 4 March 2023, 15:47 Last update: about 1 hour ago. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. With the relaxed travel measures, Japan is fully prepared to host these events. 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. Im heading to Tokyo for the first time in 3.5 years on October 23rd and I cant wait! 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. With all borders open and international racing officially back on, Asia-Pacific's premier off-road triathlon series is ready to return with some of the best trails on the circuit as local and international age group athletes can finally go head-to-head once again in a season-long race for the title of XTERRA Asia-Pacific Champion. Airlines will also be allowed to operate direct flights from China to more Japanese airports, Matsuno said. This time, instead of Black Ships, the. 2023 when Japan is scheduled to downgrade the categorization of the virus. 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. KONO Taro (@konotaromp) September 22, 2022 "Finally, Japan will reopen the border,". Independent tourists are not yet granted entry, although they can be expected to be allowed back by Autumn 2022. (It took a few more days for the guidelines to be released, and the clarifying FAQ isstillbeing updated. Be part of our community of seasoned travel and hospitality industry professionals from all over the world. Japans Ministry of Foreign Affairs has offered new guidance that were covering inJapan Reopening to Individual Tourists: FAQ, Rules & Guidelines. Finally, there has been some good news about the state of the Japanese border closure for almost all tourists. 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. Thats the sharpest fall on record according to the Japan Tourism Agency. Our view is that the worst-case scenario is nowhighlyunlikely. I came to your page because this comments section and its provisional community provided something both unique and welcome in a dark time for travellers of Japan. Hi Tom, As countries across Asia reopen to international travelers, Japan one of the continent's most popular destinations remains firmly closed.

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