Japan Travel, COVID-19, And You: Tourism, Discussion, & Pandemic News Update Thread – November 2021

##**UPDATED – November 2021 – [**The ban on entry for Tourism will continue at this time**](https://www.japan.travel/en/coronavirus/) – as of 12:00am November 30th, the borders are closed to entry due to the emergence of the Omicron variant in countries worldwide.**

##**Information pertaining to Tourism entry *only* will be added here – further concerns on Work, School, or Family entry should be posted in the relevant subreddits noted below. Questions that address topics not covered here will be removed.**

##**If you need to travel to Japan as a non-resident under special circumstances,** [**please contact your local Japanese embassy or consulate for further information.**](https://www.mofa.go.jp/about/emb_cons/over/index.html) **All Questions regarding this topic will be removed, and should only be broached with the relevant Government Agencies *prior* to your trip. Our focus in this subreddit is tourism only – as such we have no answers for you here.**

**Please check** [**here**](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/search?q=Japan+Travel%2C+COVID-19%2C+And+You%3A+Guidelines+On+Travel+%26+Pandemic+News+Update+Thread&restrict_sr=on&sort=relevance&t=all) **for previous Pandemic Megathreads on this topic, dating back to 2020.**

##**Frequently Asked Questions – November 2021**

**”Should I buy tickets for tourism in 2022?”**

>- **We do not know when International tourism will begin again. We strongly advise if you do purchase tickets that they are refundable or can be rebooked – bare minimum. If you cannot afford the cost of refundable tickets at this time, you should wait until the borders are officially reopened to International Tourism before you book ANY non-refundable fares.**

**”What if the borders don’t open in time for my previously booked flight?”**

>- **If you have already booked a flight (*early 2022 opening is unlikely as of this writing*), we advise you to carefully look over the refund/rebooking policy with the airline you purchased your tickets with. If you have booked tickets that are non-refundable or cannot be moved, please contact your airline for further questions or concerns.**

**”Will Japan reopen for tourism to those who have already been fully vaccinated against the virus?”**

>- **Currently, the answer is no.** [**Vaccine status is likely to affect entry in the future – approved vaccines are currently listed as Moderna, Pfizer, and Astra-Zeneca with J&J being studied for approval in Japan.**](https://archive.ph/CORwL#selection-2463.0-2463.244) **There is no word yet on any other vaccine types being accepted by the Government for approved entry, and no specific framework has been detailed by the Government for Tourism Entry.** Further information on accepted vaccine certificates for entry under special circumstances is included in this [PDF from the MHLW,](https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/000836955.pdf) and an updated list of areas is included [here.](https://www.mofa.go.jp/files/100244979.pdf)

**”What about entry procedures for tourism? Will quarantine still be in place when the borders re-open?”**

>- **Realistically, it’s unlikely extended quarantine will be required for tourists to enter Japan in the future. Steps for entry have yet to be determined, but quarantine for vaccinated folks is not expected to be among them.**

**”What about the Vaccine Passport?”**

>- This is an official record issued by municipalities showing a person has been fully vaccinated while in Japan. **They are not reciprocal and the borders are still closed for tourism IN Japan by Foreign Citizens.** More information can be found [here.](https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/news/japans-vaccine-passport-what-it-is-where-you-can-use-it-how-to-apply-for-one-072821)

**”I am still in Japan and need to renew my Tourist Visa, what do I do?”**

>- You will need to contact the Authorities at the [Immigration Services Agency Of Japan](http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/english/) to confirm you are still able to renew and continue your stay if necessary.

**”I am arriving in Japan for a stopover while on the way to another country, what do I do?”**

>- Transit through Japan is ONLY possible through [Narita Airport,](https://www.narita-airport.jp/en) [Haneda Airport,](https://tokyo-haneda.com/en/index.html) or [Kansai Airport](https://www.kansai-airport.or.jp/en/) at this time. Those looking to transit in Japan are generally allowed off the plane first, and expected to move to their next gate as quickly as possible and wait there for the connecting flight. At no time are you allowed to depart the airport after arriving via flight from another country, regardless of the length of your stopover – to do so will subject you to mandatory quarantine before you would be able to continue your journey. **Any questions or concerns should be directed to your airline, & any comments in regards to this topic will be removed from this thread.**

**”I need more information as a New Entrant for work or school, where should I post?”**

>- **Please go to /r/movingtojapan for information – as Omicron has been designated as a Variant of Concern by the WHO, Japan has elected to again close their borders – effective 12:00 am November 30th, 2021.**

**”I need more information on re-entry with the new allocations, where should I post?”**

>- **Due to the emergence of the Omicron variant, you will want to speak with your Embassy in regards to the permissions required in order to enter at this time. All questions regarding this topic will be removed from this thread.**

##**Daily Cases & Vaccinations in Japan (65 and Under) – Updated: 11/30**

>- [**Confirmed Cases: 1,727,675 (+132) & 18,373 (+2) deaths.**](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/tags/82/)

>- **1st vaccine dose:** [**99,771,012 – 78.8%**](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/special/coronavirus/vaccine/)

>- **2nd vaccine dose:** [**97,330,657 – 76.9%**](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/special/coronavirus/vaccine/)

##**Monthly News Updates – November 2021**

**11/30** – [**From Nikkei Asia – Japan confirms 1st Omicron case in arrival from Namibia.**](https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus/Japan-confirms-1st-omicron-case-in-arrival-from-Namibia) The man tested positive for the coronavirus upon arrival and samples were being examined at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases to confirm whether it was the Omicron variant, Matsuno, the government’s top spokesman, said. All 71 people who were on the same flight as the man, a Namibian diplomat, have tested negative and are being treated as close contacts, health minister Shigeyuki Goto told reporters. The man, who is currently in quarantine at a medical facility, was fully vaccinated, Goto said.

**11/30** – [**From Kyodo News – 1st Omicron case confirmed in Japan.**](https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/11/069560bf662e-urgent-1st-omicron-case-confirmed-in-japan.html) A Namibian diplomat in his 30s has been found to be infected with the heavily mutated variant after he tested positive for the coronavirus at Narita airport near Tokyo upon his arrival on Sunday, it said.

**11/29** – [**From Kyodo News – Japan bans foreign visitors for 1 month over Omicron fears**](https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/11/e9e964505db6-breaking-news-japan-to-take-further-border-steps-over-omicron-variant-kishida.html)Japan on Tuesday banned new entries by foreigners globally for at least one month in an attempt to stave off the new Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the measure, reversing a three-week relaxation of travel restrictions, is needed to “avoid the worst-case scenario.” Additionally, 14 countries and regions, including Britain and Germany, were added to a list of places from which returning Japanese citizens and foreign residents will be subject to stricter quarantine requirements.

**11/28** – [**From The Nikkei Asia – Japan to suspend entry of overseas travelers due to Omicron.**](https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus/Japan-to-suspend-entry-of-overseas-travelers-due-to-omicron) The Japanese government will suspend all new entries into the country by foreign nationals, citing the emergence of the omicron variant of COVID-19. It had lifted its entry ban earlier this month for foreign business travelers and students, but has reversed course in hopes of preventing another wave of infections.

**11/28** – [**From Kyodo News – Japan eyes further border controls over Omicron variant: Kishida.**](https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/11/e9e964505db6-breaking-news-japan-to-take-further-border-steps-over-omicron-variant-kishida.html) Japan is considering further border controls to prevent the spread of the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Monday. Kishida told reporters the government will announce the measures “at the appropriate time,” without providing further details.

**11/20** – [**From NHK News – Japanese govt. revises ‘Go To Travel’ campaign.**](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20211119_34/) Japanese tourism minister Saito Tetuso said officials are considering to restart the program depending on the coronavirus situation in the country. Saito said officials plan to analyze the coronavirus situation during the New Year holidays first, and then decide when to resume the nationwide travel campaign.

**11/13** – [**From The Nikkei Asia – Japan aims to resume Go To Travel campaign in mid-January.**](https://archive.ph/8kyHH#selection-2355.0-2355.57) The timing of the travel campaign’s resumption will likely be mid-January and February to avoid the year-end and New Year holidays when many people return home and travel.

**11/12** – [**From NHK News – Calls grow for Go To Travel to resume around Feb.**](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20211113_07/) Further discussions within the government are expected as some tourism ministry officials and others want the campaign to restart sooner. They’re calling for its resumption by the end of the year, to quickly support businesses hit by the pandemic.

**11/10** – [**From Kyodo News – Japan’s “Go To Travel” subsidy program to resume possibly in February**](https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/11/a604917b7a3b-japans-go-to-travel-subsidy-program-to-resume-possibly-in-february.html) Japan’s “Go To Travel” domestic tourism subsidy program may resume in February after being suspended late last year amid a resurgence in coronavirus cases, with the campaign to include compulsory virus countermeasures, government sources said Thursday.

**11/10** – [**From The Mainichi – Japan’s ‘Go To Travel’ campaign to restart Jan. 2022 or later if virus meds progress**](https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20211111/p2a/00m/0na/004000c) The government hopes to have the oral medication in use by the end of the year. Furthermore, booster vaccinations for older people will begin in earnest in January 2022. A government source said, “The important components for coronavirus infections countermeasures will come together (by the end of January).”

**11/09** – [**From NHK News – JAL starts digital vaccine proof system.**](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20211109_17/) The new system, introduced on Tuesday, uses a smartphone app. JAL’s US-bound passengers can now upload photos of their documents to the app before check-in. Using AI, the app quickly judges whether the person meets entry requirements — drastically speeding up the procedure.

**11/08** – [**From Kyodo News – Japan’s new COVID assessment criteria to focus on hospital capacity**](https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/11/f38667ff4ee7-japan-to-revise-covid-assessment-criteria-as-inoculations-progress.html) Under the five-phase scale of assessment, level zero means maintaining a situation of no new COVID-19 cases while level 1 signifies the health care system is able to respond to COVID-19 in a stable manner. Level 2 warns that an increase in infections is beginning to put a strain on the system, while level 3 means the national hospital occupancy rate has gone above 50 percent and a state of emergency is needed. Level 4 signifies that hospitals are no longer able to deal with COVID-19 patients even if they reduce general medical services. Currently, Stage 4 is the worst level on the government’s four-point scale, with 25 or more weekly infection cases per 100,000 people, which has been a key criterion for the government to declare a state of emergency.

**11/07** – [**From Kyodo News – Japan eyes over 30 tril. yen economic stimulus to fight pandemic.**](https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/11/8bceaf6a655a-japan-eyes-over-30-tril-yen-economic-stimulus-to-fight-pandemic.html) The stimulus package will include providing 100,000 yen in cash handouts for all children aged 18 or younger and restarting the “Go To Travel” subsidy program to promote domestic tourism, the sources said.

**11/05** – [**From The Japan Times – Japan to start accepting new entries by business people from Monday**](https://archive.ph/fZ2TD) Unvaccinated arrivals or those inoculated with unapproved vaccines will still be required to undergo quarantine for 14 days, either at a designated facility or an accommodation of their choosing, depending on where they are arriving from.

**11/05** – [**From The Nikkei Asia – Japan to reopen borders starting Monday**](https://archive.ph/18IGg#selection-2485.0-2485.241) Tourists are not covered under the relaxed rules. The government will assess the effectiveness of the measures within the year and consider whether to expand the scope of the relaxation in stages, while monitoring the status of the outbreak.

**11/05** – [**From Kyodo News – Japan to cut COVID quarantine to 3 days for business travelers on Nov. 8**](https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/11/04b1a331ede5-breaking-news-japan-to-cut-covid-quarantine-to-3-days-for-business-travelers-mon.html) Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiji Kihara said Japan will also consider resuming acceptance of tourist groups by reviewing within this year how their activities can be controlled and monitored.

**11/04** – [**From The Asahi Shimbun – Tourism industry calls for quick return to Go To Travel.**](https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14474867) Officials of the Japan Travel and Tourism Association met with Tetsuo Saito, the tourism minister, on Oct. 15 and asked that the campaign be resumed as soon as possible. Saito said the campaign would be a catalyst for rebuilding the economy. The Suga government came under criticism for extending the Go To Travel campaign over the entire nation when infections were spreading. Despite the risk, use of the program skyrocketed, and 90 million people took advantage of the campaign. However, the tourism ministry is now concerned about another spike in COVID-19 cases stemming in part from increased travel. The government is considering various measures to prevent such a spread, such as using certificates that show individuals have been vaccinated or tested negative for the coronavirus.

**11/02** – [**From The Asahi Shimbun – Japan to lift entry ban for business trips, students, interns**](https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14473751) The government is expected to announce the long-awaited eased travel restrictions this week before they take effect by the end of this month at the earliest, the sources said. The businesspeople on short-term visits must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and will have to quarantine for three days after their arrival. The foreign students and technical intern trainees will still have to self-quarantine for up to 14 days after arrival. Government officials are also discussing shortening the self-quarantine period for Japanese businesspeople who return from abroad. However, the government is not considering relaxing border controls for tourists. Arrivals will still be capped at 3,500 a day, and the government could tighten the restrictions if the number of novel coronavirus infections rises at home or overseas.

**11/02** – [**From Kyodo News – Japan to ease quarantine rule to 3 days for business travelers**](https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/11/1be6a2922b39-breaking-news-japan-to-ease-quarantine-rule-to-3-days-for-business-travelers.html) Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi has said the government will “review in stages” the nation’s virus-related entry restrictions, as the county’s vaccine rollout has progressed steadily and business circles have requested a relaxation of border controls to help the tourism sector.

**11/01** – [**From Kyodo News – Japan’s Kishida to craft stimulus by mid-November after election win.**](https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/11/84f46b582544-kishida-gets-mandate-as-ruling-bloc-keeps-majority-in-japan-election.html) Kishida said the stimulus package, featuring financial aid for businesses and people hit hard by the pandemic, will be funded by an extra budget the government aims to pass within the year. “We will get this to the people as quickly as possible,” Kishida said at a press conference, adding he will consider resuming the “Go To Travel” campaign to boost domestic tourism.

**11/01** – [**From The Nikkei Asia – Japan to ease entry for businesspeople, students but not tourists.**](https://archive.ph/CORwL) Japan looks to let foreigners visit the country for short business trips, study abroad and technical training in an easing of its strict coronavirus-related entry rules, Nikkei has learned. Tourists are not included in this round. The government is expected to announce the policy changes as early as this week, with implementation to begin this month.

**11/01** – [**From The Mainichi – Japan’s Kishida wins mandate, though economic agenda unclear.**](https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20211101/p2g/00m/0na/037000c) Topping Kishida’s to-do list is another big dose of government spending to help Japan recover from the COVID-19 shock. The economy grew at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.9% in the April-June quarter, a tepid pace considering the severity of the pandemic downturn in 2020.