So I’ve bought tickets to go home early Aug and return to Japan late August.
My mind is starting to feel anxious. I keep thinking if things go bad with covid, Japan will close its borders and I’ll be locked out.
Especially considering how the covid situation in Tokyo is worsening again and the B.4 and B.5 strains causing surges in the West might cause a surge in Japan…which might prompt Japan to tighten border measures.
I’m writing this not really looking for anything, but is there any words of encouragement for me to not be so anxious?
27 comments
I have exactly the same plan as you and wasn’t worried a single bit until I read your post. Now, I got worried too. Darn!
On a more serious note though, I tell myself that Japan will not repeat its dirty move to keep foreign residents out. They have several tools available regarding entry: reduce entry cap, stop the process to re-allow tourists, stop issuing new visas… For us residents, I’d personally argue that we’re quite safe.
I don’t think the borders will close again at this point! I did get stuck outside the country this winter because I kept testing positive after recovering from COVID, but it seems like now they’ve started accepting certificates of recovery for re-entry so this shouldn’t be a problem. Take precautions and try to relax and have fun (I know how impossible that sounds but good luck!)!
Well. I understand you, but now i think they would not close again as the world does not care (except China and … Japan)
As ling as you are here on work visa you can come back.
You’ll be fine. Just enjoy your trip!
I’m in the same boat too. I feel there’s no need to worry about it. It has been 3 years since then, and since we are residents, we have more chances of returning in case it does happen. I booked my tickets already and I’m just hopeful that there won’t be such drastic case like before. Life is short to worry, and the circumstances are a bit better now. So plan your vacation and enjoy yourself.
If it happens, it happens. Worrying about it isn’t going to change anything. If you’re concerned, redirect that energy towards being prepared for that possibility.
As others have mentioned, it is highly unlikely that the borders will close – however, while extremely unlikely, it is not zero.
In the past, you would have a 24h to 36h window to present yourself at the border after a closure is announced, and before it is in effect. Keep close tabs on [this page](https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/page4e_001053.html), and be prepared to hop on the next plane into the country if a border closure that affects you is announced.
(It’s possible to use an automated service to monitor a webpage for changes, and ping you when any change is detected, so you don’t really need to be refreshing the page every other day on your own… service plans can vary from once a month/week/day, to every hour or even X minutes.)
Do also keep in mind, it’s not just a border closure that could lock you out. If you become covid positive, you may not be able to return until you have recovered. So, make sure you have a plan in place should that come to be too.
I will travel back home for the similar period too. Hopefully everything will be fine 🙂
I’ll be visiting around the same time as you. I’m less worried about borders closing and more worried about catching COVID last minute, or catching it earlier in my trip and testing positive after I’ve recovered, causing me to push back my return flight.
In the end, I’m the one who’s choosing to risk it by traveling in the first place, so I’ve got to be ready to face the consequences of my actions, whatever they may be.
The way I see it is either prepare yourself for the worst case scenarios or don’t go if you’re too worried about it.
The chances of that happening is honestly slim to none. Unless Covid turns into some sort of biohazard virus.
Japan has never, even once, prevented residents from returning to their own homes in Japan based on a decision that happened while the residents were abroad. There was a period near the start where they blocked resident foreigners for returning for a few months, *but the entry ban only applied to foreigners who left Japan after the ban was announced*. The rule, for foreigners who had already left before the ban started, was that they were supposed to be allowed back in. Everybody who was blocked from returning to Japan already should have known that was going to happen, the moment they stepped on the airplane to leave.
In summary, it’s impossible for you to be caught “by surprise” while you’re abroad, unless Japan decides to do something draconian they have never done since the start of the pandemic.
You’re worrying for no reason. It is extremely, extremely unlikely that Foreign residents will be treated differently than citizens regarding right to entry.
Japan more or less got bitchslapped into changing that policy.
I’m heading back that month as well.
Thing is. Worrying doesn’t change anything. Just focus on the things you can control and have a good time.
I’d like to be encouraging but Tokyo cases are exploding right now. Up 500% from a few weeks ago and the trend is a steep slope up. Who know what the situation will look like in a month.
I don’t think that’s going to happen.
I think you’ve already made your decision to go back home. Have a good time with your friends and family and don’t worry for a second about what might happen.
Why? Because you and I can’t do anything about it. It’s endemic and a part of our lives forever. Governments will do what governments will do, but that’s out of our hands. Be cautious, careful and smart about the way you go about things, but let every other worry go. Enjoy your trip!
I am traveling during the same period. The black company where I work got me to sign a pledge stating that I will resign if I don’t come back by middle of October here. I hope the HR people suffer for their misdeeds. But I will go ; it’s been 3 years.
Don’t know where you are going. But for me it’s the worry of my kids or myself getting sick and not having insurance in the States. I don’t know how much travel insurance covers with Covid. If someone had to be hospitalized… I had to get a pink eye test once while I was home. I’m it was 800 usd. And it wasn’t pink eye and they just said go to the doctor once you get to Tokyo. Luckily the credit card had insurance attached that covered it all.
Well, it’s ok to be anxious about things you might have control on. But being anxious about things you don’t have control on is not rational, as it’s going to happen anyway. What you can control is going or not going home. What you can’t control is the law. But you decided to go right? Be prepared, have a backup plan etc.
I guess it’s not easy but try to let it go. You’ll see friends and family soon, how awesome is that. Best thing I did in years is I went home during and after GW.
Corona is well managed at this point and there are many people traveling abroad even from Japan. I know people who traveled home 2-3 times the past 2 years, with no major issues. Any form of border closure is extremely unlikely at this point, let alone targeting residents.
And for comparison, much of the western world has pretty much forgotten about corona. No masks, no vaccination certificates, nothing at most places. And people get by just fine, their lives returned largely to normal. I don’t mind Japan being conservative but it’s rather an outlier in the developed world and should not be cause of fear.
Covid is over. Japan is just being ridiculous at this point.
I’ve gone back to the US twice since the pandemic started and it’s been fine. First trip, omicron hit right in the middle, and everything still worked out. I would not worry about border measures at this point.
Like others are saying, the biggest problem would be testing positive. Do you have family/friends you can stay with if you have to extend your trip? Can you work remotely? If not, you should take into consideration the extra time/money/missed work into your decision.
For the most part anything that can go wrong is out of your hands so you kind of have to be at peace with that as well.
It’s very very unlikely you are going to be stuck outside of the country unless you mess up the paperwork on your end. Even then you won’t be stuck out. Just have to rebook.
You’ll be fine, they’ll let you back in Japan for sure.
If things get really bad in the country you’re visiting, you might have to do some quarantine when you come back. Great opportunity to binge on netflix without feeling guilty.
I just returned from a month away in Australia. I wasn’t worried about a border closure, just getting COVID and not being able to return. Luckily, that didn’t happen by just having the same precautions as I would here in daily life even with everyone else basically not wearing a mask.
On the bright side, the flights out of and into Japan were basically empty, making for some very quiet trips.
I’m visiting my family for the first time in 3 years. I’m worried because Australia has 5x the rate of covid per capita. Just going to always wear a mask, social distance and wash my hands a lot.
I went back to the states last summer and am going back again in August…. was a little worried last year… test was a pain.. and didn’t want have to stay at that corona hotel…
this year .. not worried about it… the level of panic has dropped… Japan wont close its borders…
enjoy your trip…
Just go. The only thing that they might do is increase quarantine time again from certain areas.