##**Moderator’s Note: As we await any [official information on the status for Tourism Entry,](https://www.japan.travel/en/coronavirus/) expected at this time to be no earlier than 2022, this Discussion thread will continue to stay open and we will update with official information as it becomes necessary. Previous iterations of this thread can be found** [**here.**](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/search?q=Discussion%3A+The+Tokyo+Olympics+%26+The+Future+Of+Travel+To+Japan+In+2021&restrict_sr=on&sort=relevance&t=all) **Please be aware that our focus in this thread is entry for Tourism purposes only, any questions in regards to entry for work, school, or family reasons should be directed to /r/movingtojapan, or /r/japanlife.**
##**Previous Tourism News 2021**
>- [**From Kyodo News – Italy, Turkey to accept Japan’s vaccine passport from next week.**](https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/07/04a5fb697422-italy-turkey-to-accept-japans-vaccine-passport-from-next-week.html)
>- **Five countries including Italy and Turkey have agreed to ease COVID-19 quarantine rules for travelers who have vaccine passports issued by Japan from next week, the Foreign Ministry said Wednesday. The other countries are Austria, Bulgaria and Poland, with Japan currently in negotiations with dozens more. *The arrangement is one-way only, with Japan not recognizing similar certificates from those countries for the time being*, a government official said in a press briefing.**
>- […] In addition to the countries that will recognize the vaccine passports, South Korea will accept them as one of the documents necessary to apply for exemption from a 14-day self-isolation period. Estonia has also agreed to accept the document, but currently does not impose a quarantine period on travelers whether or not they have had their shots.
>- [**From The Nikkei Asia – Italy, Turkey and 3 others say yes to Japan’s vaccine passport.**](https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus/COVID-vaccines/Italy-Turkey-and-3-others-say-yes-to-Japan-s-vaccine-passport)
>- Japan’s Foreign Ministry has lobbied about a dozen countries to accept its vaccine certificates. **But many countries like the U.S., China and the U.K. are not easing entry restrictions, even for travelers who can show proof of vaccination. For example, the U.K. requires travelers from Japan to get tested and to self-isolate. Some, like France, also refused to grant waivers unless Japan gave reciprocal consideration to their vaccinated travelers.**
>- [**From The Nikkei Asia – Japan asks Italy, Greece and others to take ‘vaccine passports’.**](https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus/COVID-vaccines/Japan-asks-Italy-Greece-and-others-to-take-vaccine-passports)
>- **”Tokyo, which plans to accept applications for such documents starting July 26, will lobby a dozen countries, including Italy and Greece, to waive quarantines and other restrictions for Japanese holders of vaccine passports. The government will negotiate with countries that currently offer some entry privileges to those who can prove that they have been vaccinated. Those countries are mainly in Europe, and include France, Estonia, and Iceland. China and the U.S. are not on the list for now.” (Full Article Reprinted Below)**
>- [**From Kyodo News – Japan to issue vaccine passports free of charge.**](https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/07/fda26079cda5-japan-to-issue-vaccine-passports-free-of-charge.html)
>- Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told a press conference that starting July 26, people will be able to apply for the certificates in the municipalities where they were registered as a resident at the time they got their shots. The Foreign Ministry’s website will feature a list of countries and regions that will ease quarantine measures for those with a vaccine passport, Kato said. Japan is looking to have its vaccination passports accepted by over 10 nations, including Italy, France and Greece, according to government sources.
>- [**From Kyodo News – Japan to begin accepting requests for vaccine passports from July 26.**](https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/07/61252db2ea56-japan-to-begin-accepting-requests-for-vaccine-passports-from-july-26.html)
>- **”The vaccination certificates will be official records issued by municipalities showing a person has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, with information such as name, passport number and date of vaccination also included. Kato said last month the certificates will be issued by the end of July, initially in paper form. A digital format will be considered later.”**
**Mod Note: This will be only issued to people who have been vaccinated while IN Japan. Further information on reciprocity and what groups it will apply to (expected to be for business travel at this time), will be made available later this month.**
>- [**From Kyodo News – Japan seeks to have vaccine passports accepted by over 10 nations.**](https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/07/5733154499a7-japan-seeks-to-have-vaccine-passports-accepted-by-over-10-nations.html)
>- “Japan is making arrangements for its COVID-19 vaccination passports to be accepted by over 10 nations, including Italy, France and Greece, after the certificate program begins in late July, government sources said Sunday. **If the agreements are reached, certificate holders will be exempt from quarantine or showing negative test results for COVID-19 when traveling from Japan to those countries, the sources said. But the Japanese government plans to continue requiring travelers entering Japan, including returnees, to quarantine for two weeks even if they have been vaccinated.** The position has complicated negotiations with countries such as Singapore and Israel, which have called for mutual exemption, the sources said.”
>- [**From NHK News WEB via Google Translate – “Tourism White Paper” To recover tourism demand after infection has been resolved “Distributed travel”**](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20210615/k10013085321000.html)
>- “On the other hand, the resumption of acceptance of foreign tourists will be promoted in stages, such as starting with a small package trip after the infection has subsided. Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism [was quoted as saying] “If the situation calms down due to the expansion of inoculation, we will work to restore domestic tourism” Regarding the White Paper on Tourism, Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Akabane said at a press conference after the Cabinet meeting on the 15th, “This corona disaster is a very difficult situation for tourism businesses, but it is also an opportunity to stop and look back on the tourism policy so far. As soon as the infection situation has settled down due to the expansion of vaccination, we will first work on the recovery of domestic tourism, and then we will work on the gradual recovery of inbound demand.”
Mod Note: Other users have posted a similar article elsewhere from [Yahoo!Japan](https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/2ca0f7ab519a4ab00c279e184ecd179b7e1b11e6), which indicates the concept of “small-group distributed package tour”, beginning in 2021. This has previously been mentioned by The Japan Times in December of 2020 to [include tour groups from Asia, like China and Taiwan](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/12/06/national/japan-inbound-tourism-coronavirus/), prior to allowing entrants for what would have been the Olympic Games. Note that the time frame expected in December 2020 was for tour groups to be allowed entry in the Spring of 2021 (March/April) or the end of FY 2020. It is now looking like the intention may be to start that program for 2021 into 2022, starting with Domestic tourism as soon as possible then branching out into Asia with focus on booked group tours, and eventually allowing International tourism again. The Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Akaba Kazuyoshi, was quoted at a Ministerial Meeting on June 15th, 2021 as saying the following: [**”In the future, as soon as the domestic infection situation has settled down due to the expansion of vaccination, etc., we will first work on a full-scale recovery of domestic tourism demand, and then we will strive for a gradual recovery of inbound demand while assessing the overseas infection situation.”**](https://www.mlit.go.jp/report/interview/daijin210615.html)
>- [**From The Nikkei Asia – Japan looks to debut vaccine passport this summer.**](https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus/Japan-looks-to-debut-vaccine-passport-this-summer)
>- “Japan intends to issue COVID-19 inoculation certificates this summer to vaccinated residents traveling abroad, hoping to give business travel and other economic activities a boost, Nikkei has learned. […] The passports will be issued by local governments that hold information on residents and are responsible for giving the vaccines. Information such as the person’s name, the vaccine manufacturer and the inoculation date will be listed. Japan’s central government is expected to guarantee accuracy by linking the certificates to a national vaccination records system. Users will present the vaccine passports when taking international flights and entering foreign countries. Foreigners living in Japan who are returning to their home countries are among the anticipated users, in addition to Japanese citizens going abroad to study and for business.”
**Mod Note: Again, this will *initially* pertain to Japanese residents who are looking to travel for business and overseas purposes, this will not extend to tourists and tourism entry for 2021 at this time.**
>- [**From Nikkei Asia – Japan to issue vaccine certificates to spur international travel.**](https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus/Japan-to-issue-vaccine-certificates-to-spur-international-travel)
**Mod Note: Again, this is intended for locals on the ground in Japan who are vaccinated IN Japan to allow for travel. At this time, this will not apply to people entering for tourism.**
##**Frequently Asked Questions:**
>**”What is going on with entry for Work/School/Permanent Residents/Japanese Nationals/Foreign Nationals/Spouses?”**
>- We do not have any answers here in regards to visas, waivers, or non-tourist entry. Please check /r/movingtojapan or /r/japanlife for information that may apply to your situation specifically.
>**”I have a trip scheduled for September/December 2021. What should I do?”**
>- Nobody knows for sure when the borders will reopen, but as a Mod team we are reasonably sure that it may not be this year. Please start with your airline as they can advise on any refund/rebooking ability you will have for 2022 and beyond.
>**”How can we be sure that 2022 is a go?”**
>- The truth is – we can’t. In all fairness, the factors are numerous: the Japanese Government could easily make fools of us all and refuse to reopen in early 2022, the virus could mutate and spiral out of control again worldwide, a new virus could emerge and begin to spread even among those that are vaccinated. *There are no guarantees for any of us with booked flights right now for the purposes of tourism.* However, for the sake of maintaining some level of optimism and normalcy, we’re going to go along with the idea that this will largely be in hand by early 2022, and countries worldwide will be engaging in tourism of some kind by then. There is no shame in planning your trip, so long as tickets and bookings are refundable or rebookable should circumstances change abruptly – and we firmly advise that you ensure the option is there for you to do so.
>**”Out of curiosity, what are the current requirements for entry? Will they still be in place for tourism?”**
>- Time Out Tokyo has listed the requirements for entry [here,](https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/news/explained-japans-three-different-quarantine-rules-upon-re-entry-052821) based on those who are *currently* permitted entry to the country. A first-hand breakdown of what happens on arrival is located [here,](https://soranews24.com/2021/05/27/everything-you-need-to-know-about-quarantining-in-japan/) and provides some perspective on the process for re-entry.
>- After obtaining documents from the Government permitting entry, you need an approved negative PCR Test within 72 hours of departure from the country. On arrival there is more paperwork to fill out, and mandatory apps to download for tracking and tracing purposes on your phone – or a rental that you have to pay for if your phone cannot download the apps. Then comes the mandatory 3 to 10 day stay in a government approved quarantine hotel (depending on where you arrive from – 3 days is the minimum), where you are tested again at the end of Day 3. If you are negative again, you can move to a secondary location to complete your quarantine but you cannot use public transit of any kind, meaning flying, trains, buses or taxis are out of the question. Many people have to book hotel facilities for the balance of the days remaining, but this comes at their own cost as the secondary location is not covered by the Government.
>- The current expectation is that the borders will not open to tourism until most of the steps involved (3 day quarantine, tracking & tracing entrants for 14 days for instance) are no longer necessary. Given that [“vaccine passports” for declaring vaccination status and providing proof of negative PCR tests are being trialed by both Countries and Airlines for resumption of International Travel](https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210527/p2g/00m/0li/036000c), it seems likely that *at minimum* obtaining a negative PCR test from an approved Medical Facility *will* be required for entry to Japan for tourism.
>**”I’m fully vaccinated, would I still need to obtain a PCR test?”**
>- There are no indications that vaccination status will allow you to avoid a PCR test in the future. Current Entrants still need to obtain a test within 72 hours of departure from their home country, regardless of vaccination status. We assume this will not change for tourism, as the Japanese Government has stated that they will not bar entry to those who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19; meaning the negative test will be necessary for proof that someone is not carrying the virus on entry to Japan.
>**”What does the Japanese Government Election have to do with reopening for tourism?”**
>- [The Nikkei Asia](https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Japan-election-set-for-fall-as-COVID-and-Olympics-come-first) has some info on the election, and explains a bit about the tangle it is in. In terms of re-starting tourism, I’ll quote a comment I made earlier in this thread about this topic:
>The Japanese Government sets the entry rules and determines who can be allowed in while there are still cases present. Back in October 2020 and running until December of 2020, certain groups were allowed in as long as they met specific criteria like length of stay, type of visa, family or spouse relations and so on.
>The election matters because the Government has to be dissolved by October 21st, 2021, and this brings with it the chance that a new Party will come into power. The Party that wins will be then taking the time to review the risk COVID-19 already poses in Japan, and they will review increasing that risk by allowing tourism by comparing it with the concerns of the Japanese public in terms of re-opening fully, staying closed until more people are fully vaccinated, or until variants are less common overseas. If Japan is in another wave due to the Games, it’s going to be difficult for the Government to win the public over to opening the borders to free flowing travel and tourism in 2021, and no political party would run on the platform of doing so lest they want to commit political suicide. The Japanese public is very much in favour of not opening the borders for the Games already, adding tourism to that list is a pretty clear “No” at this time.
>Prime Minister Suga has noted the election is likely to take place [sometime after September 5th](http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14364564), meaning a mid September call is likely. Elections tend to be 12 days long once instigated, and barring another wave from the Games, this could then be completed before the end of September. Even if the LDP wins again, they still have to pick a new cabinet, set new positions, and appoint new Ministers to specific files; so a month post-election to settle the new politicians into their roles is a reasonable amount of time, bringing us to late-October 2021. Therefore, we expect everything to be sorted and hanko’d by early November *if there will be changes made to allow Tourism entry before the end of 2021.* If nothing is publicly stated post-election, we would then see the border closures spill over into 2022.
>We also need to accept the fact that International Tourism isn’t a large source of income for Japan’s overall GDP. Yes, as the numbers have been increasing yearly it is providing a not-insignificant amount to the coffers; however, Domestic Tourism has historically been the moneymaker for the Japanese Government, and any tourism recovery referred to in the media is often talking about locals traveling within the country, and not international tourists entering for vacation. The push to restart local tourism will be immediate and more of a focus as the virus begins to ebb and more people in Japan are vaccinated against it. This can be seen by the Go-To Travel and Go-To Eat campaigns that were running in Japan in 2020 before the surge later in the year, and it has been indicated already that they will restart those programs as soon as is practical.
##**Mod Notes:**
>- **Thread replies are monitored, and off-topic comments will be removed. Please stick to the discussion at-hand. If you have specific questions about your itinerary check the FAQ and search the sub before posting – this is not the place for questions in regards to planning your trip.**
>- **There’s a fine line between being persistent, and being a troll. Comments that attempt to goad users into fights, or devolve into name calling will be removed and/or met with bans at Moderator discretion.**
Thank you!
38 comments
I’m already saved up.. I just hope when they do open it doesn’t get to flooded
Damn, I was really hoping to have a chance to visit in November. Autumn is just something else
There is one article by Nikkei that wasn’t mentioned here about Japan asking other countries to accept its vaccination passport, so Japanese can travel overseas, with, of course, reciprocity. This alone can be a good indicator that there’s a chance Japan reopens this year
Do we think Japan will open back tourism to select asian countries first?
There was a hot minute last year where you could enter Japan via Bangkok
*IF* you could show that you had been in the country for at least 14 days and had a negative covid test.
I got tickets for May 2022. Fingers crossed!
Officially 502 days since I’ve gotten to hold my son in my arms. Hoping and praying they will ease restrictions so that I can travel to see him. In case you are wondering I’ll answer your questions:
1. The mother of my child and I are not yet married, so I do not qualify as a “spouse of a Japanese National” therefore I cannot visit.
2. I have called the embassy in an attempt to explain my special circumstances (mother of child cannot return to US as she is there helping her dad who is sick with Cancer) and they will not issue a visa to me.
3. They have told me that “if I travelled there with the intent of Marrying during that trip I may go” this is a personal matter and I do not object to the overall idea (getting married to her), however I will not do it simply based on their bureaucratic whim.
I hope everyone can visit soon and that those in similar situations to mine stay strong. There are a lot of people in this group who are purely tourists, please remember the current situation even affects people who have family there since we are too considered “tourists”.
At this point, I suggest everyone to wait until the Olympics, general election and any positive movement on vaccination (essentially the very end of this year) for you to even consider to make any major jump on travel and stop wondering if they will open back up internationally for the next 8-10 months at least given time for the aforementioned and typical Japanese bureaucracy and protocols.
And only if the green light on travel finally happens, to make actual plans. This ‘will they, won’t they’ shtick was fun for a while but it’s time to realize Japan is going to do what it wants to do and to have iron style patience if we really want to travel there. It’s better to worry about travel long after they opened the doors than to be too early and they’re still dragging their feet.
Whelp, canceled my flight for the last week of September. He’s hoping that Priceline and Japan Air actually refund me. My flights were $400 each so I couldn’t reschedule to anything that had the same fare. This is the 3rd time I’ve tried to go to Japan, and something happened and was canceled. Some day I’ll actually make it.
It’s funny to think even though the USA got a HUGE head start, both Japan and the USA are on track to get 70% fully vaccinated this November.
To be absolutely clear – all tourist entry is suspended without further notice. The Japanese government has not mentioned any plans for expedited quarantine or travel bubbles for vaccinated tourists, or even when they would start discussing that.
At this time – we would not recommend booking anything indefinitely until they give a clear plan on when they can open back up.
[https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/page4e_001053.html](https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/page4e_001053.html) Any updates will be added to this page in Japanese first, and then normally following by 1-2 days in English.
Fingers crossed for end of March / April. Have tickets booked through miles, so not at a huge risk, but really want this trip to happen!
I’m now holding off until 2023 at the earliest. Hopefully that’ll be enough time for things to settle down and tourists are allowed into the country.
I could have went in 2019 but stupidly didn’t book up and I’m REALLY regretting it.
This thread is so interesting, because you’ll have one person saying it will open in a few months, and another saying to wait off until 2030. Like, the whiplash from post to post is something else lol.
I’m hoping a judgement call is made after 1) the olympics wrap up or 2) the vaccination rates keep improving.
My girlfriend has been waiting very patiently in Japan for me to visit and I hate the idea of keeping her waiting off of things outside my control. It happens, but…
[deleted]
[Spectators Will Be Barred at Tokyo Olympics Amid New Covid Emergency](https://nyti.ms/3yxS79z)
I’m curious how this will impact tourism decisions after Olympics or in 2022
Each of the last two days has seen over 2 million doses added. Overall population with at least one shot is now 28.4%. These are good signs!
Pulled the plug on my November/December trip today. I had Italy as a back-up plan and found a fantastic flight price there so it was time to choose. Ultimately it seems like even if the country is open in late November, it’s likely going to still involve a lot of restrictions and I don’t want that for a vacation. I’ll try again in 2024. Best of luck to you all and thanks for all the help with my planning!
[deleted]
So what are the chances of a quarantine requirement for incoming tourists after reopening?
I’m quite worried about this. I can’t be bothered to go through quarantine no matter how bad I want to go.
[deleted]
I found this quote from [Nikkei](https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus/COVID-vaccines/Japan-asks-Italy-Greece-and-others-to-take-vaccine-passports) today interesting:
*”The Japanese government had been considering easing entry restrictions for vaccinated travelers from abroad in conjunction with the issuance of Japan’s vaccine passport, but the COVID-19 caseload in Tokyo worsened and the government declared a state of emergency for the capital for the fourth time on Monday, scotching the plan.”*
Obviously it doesn’t matter now that the state of emergency has ended the possibility of this happening, but it’s interesting that it was being considered. My impression so far had been that they have no intention of allowing vaccinated travelers easier entry anytime soon, but this quote seems to contradict that. The fact that this may have been a consideration for the near future does give me a small amount of hope that maybe things could open up sooner than expected.
We had a flight booked that we were holding onto (but realistically knew it wouldn’t happen) in October and got an email it was canceled this morning. Bummed, but not surprised at all. Hoping to reschedule to Spring 2022.
Thanks for putting this all together!
I’m looking at booking a trip for April 2022, but I’m not sure how likely it is that I’ll be allowed in without quarantining. Does anyone have thoughts on how my plan is sounding?
(I know Covid is unpredictable, so who knows)
Damn…our honeymoon (April 2020 reschedule) was booked for 22nd October. As we’re both fully vaccinated I’d been optimistic we could still go…Not looking good.
Do you think it will be safe to travel in 2022? I bought my ticket to go to Tokyo, Japan in February 2022, so I’m hoping everything will be open or somewhat open?
I know things will be different in 2 weeks, 2 months and so on. But as I think that the 10 nations with the vaccine passport might have the best chances entering the country, can someone actually tell me which countries the ten are? It seems weird that not every EU member is accepted since we all use the same type of vaccine psssport. But seems to be a bilateral thing…
My boyfriend (I guess fiance!) proposed this weekend and we want to plan our marriage around our honeymoon. Is April 2022 optimistic for travel? I know not everything is certain, but was curious what others thought.
A few months ago, I was really in the state of mind of: Get 70% of adults vaccinated, and things will mostly be OK, and countries can reopen without cases exploding. Now with Delta–seeing what the UK/Israel are dealing with–it seems that the vaccines will certainly decouple deaths a good bit—but post vax transmission is still an issue with delta.
Given this, I no longer know what the “end game” is. Certainly, the NZ/Australia model will not work.. like at all. Look at Israel right now—I’m not dooming or saying deaths will skyrocket (they won’t, the vaccines are darn good for that), but the cases are going to increase. And so—if countries ONLY focus on cases post vax, there’s not necessarily an “end game”. It’s now basically an endemic virus. In any case, I just don’t know what this means for travel to countries like Japan, SK, etc. What will be the determining factor of “okay we’ll allow travel now”.
I found this interesting:
Source: https://www.insidekyoto.com/can-i-travel-to-japan-now
> **Japan Reopening Odds** (personal opinion/explanation below):
>
> October 2021: 60%
>
> November 2021: 65%
>
> December 2021: 70%
>
> spring 2022: 80%
>
>
> **Commentary by Chris**
>
> Around the world, many countries have been easing restrictions, including parts of Canada, the UK and most American states. Japan has been moving forward with their vaccine passport program and has been negotiating with 10 countries to accept it. Meanwhile, vaccines are being rolled out fast and over 30% of Japanese have had at least one shot. However, cases have been rising in Japan and the government just announced that no spectators (Japanese or foreign) will be allowed at the Olympics.
>
> Perhaps most importantly, the UK and Singapore recently hinted that they are going to live with covid, treating it as an endemic disease, rather than trying to eliminate it completely. This is a welcome shift in thinking and, if it catches on, might mean some way back to normality, variants or no variants. Likewise, Thailand has reopened Phuket on July 1 and intends to reopen the entire country this fall.
>
> On the downside, case counts are rising in many parts of the world, including Japan, and some countries are talking about re-imposing some lockdown measures.
>
> At this point, it seems highly unlikely that Japan will reopen before the end of summer. A fall opening still seems possible, but that depends on two things: Falling case counts and low hospitalizations. If things are like last fall, Japan will start by reopening business travel with countries with low cases. After that, they may consider opening to tourists.
Anyone know what the process looks like for people entering Japan (Haneda) from the US? Is the government mandated quarantine at the airport hotel still a thing? Or can I just quarantine at my residence in Tokyo? Do I still need to install the app that tracks my location (via checkins)?
Japan starts checking COVID-19 vaccination status of overseas arrivals
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/07/20/national/vaccine-status-check/
This article from Japan Times today may indicate the central government is starting to consider letting vaccinated individuals avoid the quarantine period. While that doesn’t indicate they’re opening up for tourism, it is a good step/sign at least.
[**Nikkei Asia – Italy, Turkey and 3 others say yes to Japan’s vaccine passport.**](https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus/COVID-vaccines/Italy-Turkey-and-3-others-say-yes-to-Japan-s-vaccine-passport)
**Article Reprinted Below Due To Paywall:**
>TOKYO — Five countries including Italy and Turkey will start accepting Japanese vaccine passports, Japan’s government announced Wednesday.
>Countries on the list, which also includes Austria, Bulgaria and Poland, will waive quarantines and other entry restrictions for travelers carrying a Japanese certificate of vaccination. Streamlining the entry process is expected to promote greater travel, including for business purposes.
>In addition to the five countries, South Korea will accept the certificate as one of the necessary documents travelers can submit to be exempt from quarantine. Estonia will also recognize it, though the country currently does not require travelers to quarantine, regardless of their vaccination status.
>Japanese residents will be able to start applying for an official coronavirus vaccine certificate starting Monday at the municipalities where they lived at the time of vaccination. They will need to present a record of their shots and passports, among other documents.
>The certificates will show the recipients’ names, birthdays, passport numbers, and the date and type of vaccines in Japanese and in English. They will initially be distributed physically, although the government is considering an app-based electronic version as well.
>Each municipality is in charge of handling the process on its own. The city of Shizuoka will only take applications through mail. Tokyo’s Minato Ward will take them online or by mail, but will allow in-person applications for emergencies.
>Japan’s Foreign Ministry has lobbied about a dozen countries to accept its vaccine certificates. But many countries like the U.S., China and the U.K. are not easing entry restrictions, even for travelers who can show proof of vaccination. For example, the U.K. requires travelers from Japan to get tested and to self-isolate.
>Some, like France, also refused to grant waivers unless Japan gave reciprocal consideration to their vaccinated travelers.
>Japan so far has not considered using vaccine certificates for domestic travel. An expert on the Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy at a Wednesday meeting suggested that the government weigh this option to accelerate Japan’s economic recovery from the pandemic.
>The government looks to ease restrictions on economic activity even without official vaccine certificates, as long as those who receive a shot have physical records they can provide. But it is wary of the widespread use of such documents at home, worried they could stoke discrimination against those who choose not to receive a shot or are unable to get it.
**TL;DR – Outgoing Residents of Japan, vaccinated IN Japan, will be able to travel to Turkey, Italy, Austria, Bulgaria and Poland with proof of vaccination obtained from the municipality where they live. South Korea will accept the certificate for proof of exemption from quarantine, Estonia will recognize it as well, although they have no quarantine requirements for entry at this time. The Foreign Ministry has lobbied a dozen or so countries to accept their documentation, but *many countries like the USA, China and the UK are not easing entry restrictions even with proof of vaccination.* For example, the *UK will still require travelers coming from Japan to get tested and self-isolate on arrival. France has refused to grant waivers at this time, as Japan would not reciprocate for their citizens.* Vaccine Certificates have not been expected to be used for domestic travel within Japan by those vaccinated there, but Government officials are suggesting this option be reviewed to accelerate economic recovery domestically.**
i’m supposed to be traveling from the US to tokyo come december 2021 for two weeks. haven’t planned anything or been keeping up with travel restrictions all that much lol. what’re the chances that borders will be open without quarantine restrictions come late december into january?
[deleted]
I kind of think the Olympics are going to give Japan a taste of what it’s like to have tourists over. I fully expect them to use this data when making decisions regarding reopening in the coming months.
[deleted]
I have a trip booked for late Dec. 2021 and was optimistic about it. But it is becoming worrisome with news that the US may have to go back to restrictions. Heck, even the trip I have booked for April of 2022 is looking less likely with what has transpired in the past few weeks here in the states.