Japan: COVID-19-related state of emergency to end in six prefectures outside Greater Tokyo from March 1; measures in Tokyo to end March 7 /update 42

Event

Japanese authorities plan to lift an official COVID-19 state of emergency in six designated prefectures from March 1. The prefectures in question are Aichi, Gifu, Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo, and Fukuoka. However, the state of emergency and related measures will continue in parts of Greater Tokyo - namely in Tokyo, Chiba, Kanagawa, and Saitama - until March 7. Under the state of emergency, local governments request that restaurants and drinking establishments stop serving alcohol from 1900 and close at 2000 daily. Authorities in designated areas also ask residents to remain at home after 2000, encourage businesses to allow telecommuting for 70 percent of employees, and reduce capacity at sporting and entertainment venues to 50 percent with a cap of 5,000 people. Businesses violating the rules may be fined up to JPY 300,000 (USD 2,815); individuals who test positive for COVID-19 but refuse to go to the hospital can be subject to fines of up to JPY 500,000 (USD 4,692).

In other areas of Japan, authorities are limiting sporting and entertainment venues to operating at 50-percent capacity up to a maximum of 10,000 people. Some smaller venues and theaters can operate at full capacity. Business activity is mainly unaffected nationwide, but companies must adhere to social distancing directives. Some organizations have reduced capacity at facilities, established temperature checks, or encouraged telecommuting for employees.

Sporadic rail and flight disruptions remain possible nationwide amid generally reduced demand, especially on routes to and from areas under state of emergency orders. Physical distancing requirements are in place on most long-distance transport services. Flights from South Korea and China are only authorized to land at Narita International Airport (NRT) and Kansai International Airport (KIX). Transit flights for foreign nationals are only allowed through NRT. International passenger ferry services remain suspended.

Travel Restrictions
The government continues to ban most foreign nationals from entering the country due to a new COVID-19 variant. Only Japanese citizens and resident foreign nationals can enter the country; officials will permit other foreigners' entry under special circumstances. Authorities will continue to prohibit business travel from Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Taiwan, mainland China, Singapore, Brunei, and South Korea until at least March 7.

Officials require returning citizens and residents to present a negative COVID-19 test result obtained within the 72 hours prior to departure. Inbound passengers with a negative test result can self-quarantine for 14 days. Entrants that cannot receive testing before departure, as well as permitted arrivals from the UK and South Africa, must quarantine at a government-designated facility for three days and undergo COVID-19 testing before completing the remainder of the 14-day self-quarantine period. Returning residents must complete a pledge to abide by quarantine orders, maintain location data on their mobile phones, and refrain from using public transport during the first 14 days in the country. Persons who do not agree may have to quarantine at designated facilities. Officials could publicly name citizens and foreign residents who violate quarantine orders; foreign nationals could also lose their residence status.

Advice

Follow all official instructions. Postpone travel if affected by an entry ban. Allow additional time for immigration and health screenings. Consider delaying travel if experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19, as they may prompt increased scrutiny and delays. Confirm international flight reservations. Closely monitor national travel advisories, as additional restrictions to and from Japan are likely. Consider telecommuting options for staff. Make allowances for likely increased employee absenteeism and related business disruptions.

Resources

Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Japan National Tourism Organization