Japan: Authorities to impose business and gathering restrictions in Osaka, Hyogo, and Miyagi April 5-May 5 /update 46

Event

Japanese authorities plan to impose increased business and gathering controls in Osaka, Hyogo, and Miyagi prefectures April 5 to May 5 amid elevated COVID-19 activity in the areas. Under the new restrictions, officials require restaurants and drinking establishments to stop serving alcohol from 19:00 and to close by 20:00 daily. Authorities also ask residents to remain at home after 20:00, encourage businesses to allow telecommuting, and reduce capacity at sporting and entertainment venues to 50 percent, with a cap of 5,000 people. Businesses violating the rules may face fines of up to JPY 200,000 (USD 1,807). Officials could extend the controls to additional areas in the coming days and weeks.

In other areas of Japan, authorities continue to limit attendance at most sporting and entertainment venues up to a maximum of 10,000 people. 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.

Travel Restrictions
The government continues to ban most foreign nationals from entering the country. Only Japanese citizens and resident foreign nationals can enter the country; however, officials permit foreigners to enter under special circumstances. Authorities may continue to prohibit business travel from Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Taiwan, mainland China, Singapore, Brunei, and South Korea beyond the state of emergency period.

Officials require returning citizens and residents to present a negative COVID-19 test result obtained within 72 hours of departure for Japan. Inbound passengers with a negative test result can self-quarantine for 14 days. The government does not permit people who cannot undergo testing to board flights or enter Japan. Exceptions may be possible in some circumstances, but affected passengers must contact their local Japanese diplomatic mission before departure. As of April 3, individuals arriving from the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Pakistan, Poland, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Slovakia, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, and the UAE 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. Entrants must also download the OSSMA, Skype, and COVID-19 Contact Confirming Application (COCOA) mobile applications. People that refuse 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.

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.

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