Japan: Officials to reopen border for individual tourist travel from Oct. 11 /update 88

Event

The Japanese government will permit individual tourist travel to resume from Oct. 11. Visa-free travel will resume from relevant countries, and authorities will also end a daily cap on arrivals.

Domestic Measures
Officials do not require facemasks outdoors, provided social distancing is maintained. Companies must adhere to social distancing protocols. Some organizations have reduced capacity at facilities, established temperature checks, or encouraged telecommuting for employees. Officials allow up to 5,000 people or 50 percent capacity at sports and entertainment venues, whichever is larger. Physical distancing requirements are in place on most long-distance transport services. Officials advise individuals to take a rapid antigen test (RAT) before attending large gatherings or traveling across prefecture borders.

Locally acquired symptomatic COVID-19 cases must self-quarantine for seven days; people can only exit quarantine 24 hours after symptoms improve. Asymptomatic COVID-19 patients only need to self-quarantine, except to make essential purchases, for five days but must return a negative test result before fully reentering the community. Close contacts of COVID-19 cases must self-quarantine for five days but may exit isolation on day 3 if they test negative on days 2 and 3 of quarantine.

International Travel Restrictions
Japan will continue to restrict entry to citizens, permanent residents, foreign residents, diplomats, and people with humanitarian reasons to enter the country until Oct. 11. International students, business travelers, and tourists on packaged tours may also enter Japan. Passengers must complete a health form and obtain a QR code before disembarkation. Travelers who have received at least three doses of an approved COVID-19 vaccine are exempt from pre-arrival testing requirements with proof of vaccination. However, travelers without three vaccination shots must present a negative result from a COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours before departure.

Authorities divide countries and regions according to three categories depending on COVID-19 risk, with the following testing and quarantine requirements:

• Blue: Travelers are exempt from testing and quarantine requirements.

• Yellow: Unvaccinated passengers must self-quarantine for five days. Individuals that receive a negative COVID-19 test result on day three may exit quarantine. Travelers who have received three vaccination doses are exempt from testing and quarantine requirements.

• Red: Arrivals must undergo institutional quarantine for three days regardless of vaccination status; individuals that test negative for COVID-19 on day three can exit quarantine. Passengers who have received three vaccination doses can self-quarantine for five days; travelers that undergo testing on day three and receive a negative result can exit quarantine.

A complete list of affected locations and quarantine requirements is available here.

Arrivals that need to quarantine must complete a pledge to abide by quarantine orders, maintain location data on their mobile phones, and refrain from using public transport for the first seven days in the country. Officials could publicly name citizens and foreign residents who violate quarantine orders; foreign nationals could also lose their residence status.

Officials allow international flights to land at most major airports in Japan. International passenger ferry services remain suspended.

Advice

Follow all official instructions. 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 possible.

Resources

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