[**Original Article Here.**](http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14091366)
##We are opening this thread for discussion on the Tokyo Olympics and the possibility of travel in 2021, amid the strong insinuation that the Games may have to be cancelled due to the overwhelming increase in spread of COVID-19 within the country. If this occurs, it is highly likely that International tourism as well could be barred for the majority of this year due to the continued serious spread of the pandemic in Japan and worldwide. With so many users looking to plan trips or confirm trips for 2021, we feel it is now prudent to open discussion on these topics as the cancellation of The Games could be likely to lead to continued bans on tourism from outside of Asia for this calendar year.
**An article posted by the Asahi Shimbun explains that cancelling the Olympics is coming closer to a reality.** [**The original article is here,**](http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14091366) **with these sections within the article holding particular interest:**
>- The event, which was postponed last year as the novel coronavirus pandemic spread, is scheduled to start within 200 days. However, the virus situation has since worsened in the Tokyo metropolitan area, prompting the government on Jan. 7 to declare a monthlong state of emergency for the capital and three surrounding prefectures. **“The Tokyo Olympics could be canceled if the state of emergency is not lifted by March,” an official of Tokyo’s organizing committee said.**
>- **At the end of March, the torch relay is scheduled to start from Fukushima Prefecture. Around the same time, a government-led panel is expected to decide on whether to restrict the number of spectators during the Olympic Games.** “Hosting the Games is anything but possible if you think of the people and medical personnel suffering from their difficult lives amid the pandemic,” an Olympic-related official said.
>- According to the BBC, **Dick Pound, the longest-serving member of the International Olympics Committee (IOC), said he could not be sure if the Tokyo Games would go ahead as rescheduled. “I can’t be certain because the ongoing elephant in the room would be the surges in the virus,” Pound said, according to the BBC.**
In terms of travel to Japan this year for International Tourism, while strides are being made in tracking, testing, and tracing foreign entrants to the country, many variables will still have to be managed in order to allow full-scale entry as seen in years previous. The idea that vaccinations will be mandatory to board have been [rejected by airlines](https://japantoday.com/category/features/travel/airports-reject-vaccine-requirement-amid-travel-debate) as bad for business, but [testing rules being rolled out by various countries such as Canada](https://tc.canada.ca/en/initiatives/covid-19-measures-updates-guidance-issued-transport-canada/covid-19-pre-departure-testing-transport-canada-interim-order) can only go so far to help curb the spread. Testing negative prior to departure does not guarantee COVID will not be contracted in transit or on arrival, and having travel insurance coverage will become more necessary as COVID can land you in the hospital for a long period of time while you are recovering. As new variants have been discovered, they have also already spread worldwide, weakening efforts to curb infection locally in many countries. This may also complicate the re-opening of borders to travel and tourism in 2021.
**Feel free to discuss these topics within this thread, but note that it is heavily monitored and will be curated to keep discussions on topic and civil. Sidebar rules still apply, amid a few specific notes on these topics:**
>- Nobody knows for sure when the borders will reopen, but as a Mod team we are becoming comfortable with the possibility that it may not be this year, hence the discussion thread. **For the sake of everyone, please refrain from asking if anyone knows when they will re-open for sure, or if your trip is going to happen. We don’t know, and we can’t realistically tell you with any degree of certainty.** If you decide to keep your trip as booked, that is entirely up to you, but **if you choose to cancel and have questions, please start with your airline** and work back from there.
>- Next is that **we do not have any answers here in regards to visas, waivers, or non-tourist entry.** [Our Megathread can redirect you to the subreddits that are most helpful on the those topics if needed.](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/ko0lv1/japan_travel_covid19_and_you_guidelines_on_travel/) **Questions regarding these topics will be removed and redirected.**
>- **Finally, 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 warned. Repeating this behaviour will be met with bans at Moderator’s discretion.**
Thank you!
36 comments
[deleted]
Shit.
Any comments on whether or not japan will mandate vaccine for entry when they do reopen? Curious as to what people think about that…
Super disappointing but it does make sense. It’s wishful thinking that everything will be back to normal by mid year.
My cancelled airline travel credit from 2020 only has a two year limit.
Looks like it may get pushed to the very end of that two years.
I agree with the general sentiment about the olympics but comments and the post miss two points IMO.
-There is absolutely a high likelihood immunity passports will be a thing. For some reason
The OP glosses over this as airlines said they will be “bad for Business” even though multiple airlines have already discussed using them.
-the comment focuses on Moderna being May 2021, but Japan has never been relying on Moderna. Pfizer rollout is going to begin in late February.
They should hold the Olympics the entire year with one to three sport per month. Have athletes and team stay contained in a contained area the entire time.
Japan is the first place I want to travel to when this subsides, but for months now it’s been plain to me that I won’t even be allowed back into my office here in NYC until the end of summer.
I am looking forward to resuming travel in 2022.
I was so excited for the rugby world cup and then to come back for olympic 7s… It was too good to be true! I hope that rapid testing at the departure airport and arrival can make this all possible.
I know no one knows for sure, but what do you guys think about October/November being on the table? That’s what I had been planning toward so far.
I’m sort of mentally bracing for the shift to moving my plans to 2022, but I’d *love* if I could make it this Fall.
Was planning on traveling last fall (obviously didn’t materialize) so my next window for travel is once again this fall (late Oct/early Nov). My current job consists of needing crowds so the next 2 months will basically decide if I’m laid off for the third time on a more permanent basis, rather than my company waiting for a PPP loan, or not since two years without business ain’t feasible.
In terms of Olympics, the NBA Bubble demonstrated that a bubble can be done and with there already being an Olympic Village for the athletes, a lot of that infrastructure is already in place. There’s a 99% chance the Olympics are held, banking on the international and national TV revenue to recoup as much as possible, because of that. People in attendance? That’s a whole different debate.
In case anyone else is in my silly position…
I was due to go last April. When that was cancelled I (rashly) rebooked for the following April (2021).
My April flight has already been cancelled by JAL (Heathrow to Osaka).
This means I got a full refund, but they never informed me at all. I just happened to check the status myself on their site.
I then called them for a refund. The refund came quickly but I only noticed due to chance. If anyone has a JAL booking still check regularly.
I am planning on doing a study abroad program in Yokohama that starts in October, so I am crossing my fingers that things will be better. My advisors from my uni in the US say they are hopeful, but I am not so sure 😣
wtf so i cant use bidets for another year
I booked flights last summer for this April hoping the virus would be under control by then. I think it’s pretty certain I won’t be going this year, never mind in 3 months time. Just hoping my flights will be cancelled by Etihad now.
Last June I’d booked up for May. It looked as if booking for 11 months time would be fine and things would have improved. How utterly wrong I was.
I then decided I’d try for September. Then the new more transmissible variants appeared. Yeah I don’t think I’ll be getting to Japan this year at all.
My biggest concern is that because I booked my April 2020 trip with AA evouchers, it was refunded also in vouchers so now I’ve accumulated $3,000 in travel vouchers that expire April 2021. Seems I may have to just book something fully refundable and then cancel it so that the refund will be in new vouchers with another year out to book.
I really hope they would allow vaccinated tourists to enter freely. Is there any news regarding that?
My girlfriend and I were to be married in Japan this year in Tsukuba. We are still hopeful it will happen as the vaccine is now here and has been confirmed to prevent against all of these variants. We will see..
I’m optimistic just because I don’t want to lose hope but it’s not looking good.
My first prediction is that Japan will wait until a high percentage (60-70%) of the population is vaccinated before opening borders. My second prediction is that they will enforce mandatory vaccinations for entry. Even then I’m assuming not everything will be back to normal yet and we will need face masks and crowd control and so on.
My planned trip is in November and I’m an essential worker so I’ll probably get vaccinated in a few months but, even if borders are open in November, my partner is a young healthy person and I don’t think she’ll be vaccinated by then…
As said, I’m trying not to lose hope but doesn’t look good.
Why is Japan having such a hard time containing the virus?
I really hope a vaccine in combination of 2 negative test results will allow inbound tourism.
I had cleared out a spare room and converted it to a guest bedroom in hopes of having my brother visit Japan for the first time. Due to their job they’ll be getting the vaccine early in the US.
>The idea that vaccinations will be mandatory to board have been rejected by airlines as bad for business
What’s bad for business? Low international flights because only citizens and existing residents can enter a certain country or asking casual travelers to have a vaccine? Truly….
I just hope they aren’t cancelled entirely. I’ve been dying to see Japan do an opening ceremony.
If Japan requires proof of vaccination to enter, I’d be happy to provide it. I’ve gotten my first shot already, and I’m due to receive the second booster in early February. My boyfriend is also willing to take the vaccine whenever it becomes available in his country. I really miss Japan, and I’m ready to go back when they decide to open.
As someone with 10 event tickets and looking forward to the Tokyo Olympics since it was announced in September 2013, I am disappointed that no matter what happens, the Games will not be the same. Even if they do go ahead, the restrictions that will most likely be put in place will limit the celebrations. My opinion is that by late March we will know more about the state of things for the Olympics, much like they announced the postponement in March 2020. The hardest thing is the uncertainty surrounding it all at this time.
With that said, even though I have my event tickets, I am not re-booking my flights and hotels until we have confirmation one way or the other regarding international tourism travel. Sigh. I am looking forward to traveling back to Japan again someday!
I feel stupid for buying a cheap ticket for May 2021 last summer thinking it would be ok by then. I’ll probably reschedule to May 2022, but who even knows if things will be better by then.
Even though I hope vaccinated people would be allowed in for tourism, the research is showing that they still may be able to pass the virus around; just not suffer symptoms themselves. I hate to say it but I think if I got properly vaccinated and they allow vaccinated individuals in the country by then, I would take that selfish opportunity (still wearing masks and such).
If anyone is curious on vaccination status in America, I live in one of the major cities and my sister (a nurse) is due to receive her 2nd or “booster” shot tomorrow. I believe wide-spread availability is projected for mid-summer/early fall for the US.
I have reserved a trip this year’s November. Hoping that it will be safe. If not, I’ll postpone it to March 2022. A lot can happen until then. They said that a vaccine wouldn’t be ready before the middle of 2021 last year spring, but we got one in December 2020. Fingers crossed! 🤞
I know this is optimistic thinking, but it’s the only thing I can be to bring myself hope. No one knows before the time comes.
I have my flights booked and my hopes up. Luckily booking with points has its advantages, including lots of flexibility when it comes to cancelling/rescheduling.
Things are changing so rapidly with this pandemic that you never know. It’s hard to make any definite calls more than a few months in advance. Hence, the importance of only booking refundable travel right now.
I understand the need for caution but I’m holding on to a little hope.. We have refundable tickets for late October (rescheduled from November 2020). At the beginning of the pandemic I wouldn’t have expected a vaccine by now and even a few weeks ago I wouldn’t have expected to be receiving the vaccine soon but I’m scheduled for my first shot on Saturday. Things are changing rapidly and it’s hard to predict 6-9 months out. I understand that there’s little to no motivation for Japan’s original plan to explore tourist group entry as early as April if the Olympics aren’t on. And I understand the likely need to cancel a huge event like the Olympics. But saying no tourism at all for the year seems like a much bigger statement.. again we’ve all been proven wrong in different ways by the pandemic so it’s definitely possible that even trips in Q3 2021 are no-gos. But the vibe that it’s a certainty seems strange.
Have booked (refundable) hotels with a university group for September, kinda worried since being students it would be hard to move the trip or pay lots extra to move it. We were looking to book flights around March but I don’t know what to do now…
I still got a ticket for april but now it seems definitely impossible, I was thinking of rescheduling it to middle of august but maybe that’s still too early.
I hope to get vaccinated by summer though.
Take this with a grain of salt, but as of right now, Japanese government organizations and the private sector are preparing for tourists quietly. Last year around this time a lot of my translation work was Olympics and tourism focused. That of course took a nosedive over the spring and summer, but all of a sudden I’ve seen an influx of tourism-related projects coming in. How this will pan out is unclear, but some businesses and government agencies are preparing as if everything is going ahead as planned. On the flip side, I live near about 10 of the Olympics venues and I haven’t seen any construction in close to six months. Nearly everything (except for the skatepark for some reason) is half finished.
Was really hoping the Olympics would be a huge carrot for Japan to be fully vaccined.
[deleted]
Seems like the olympics are to be cancelled now? https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.smh.com.au/world/asia/japan-govt-has-privately-concluded-tokyo-olympics-will-have-to-be-cancelled-because-of-coronavirus-the-times-citing-senior-ruling-coalition-member-20210122-p56w3i.html
Last June I booked up for May. Then I’m December I cancelled and tentatively planned for September. I don’t think that’s happening either so I’ll likely rebook for May 2022. If it’s not sorted out by then I’d be very surprised.