Japan Travel, COVID-19, And You: Tourism Information & Pandemic News Update Thread – May 2022

##**May 2022 – Limited Resumption of Tourism has begun: Small pre-booked & guided tour groups will be able to enter as of June 10th, [and will be available to the public for purchase](https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2022/05/124431345ab7-urgent-japan-to-resume-accepting-foreign-tourists-on-june-10-kishida.html) at a future date. Please contact your airline for information on rebooking or refunding any flights currently booked, and please see our FAQ and the linked articles below for more information.**

##**Due to the increase in self-posts regarding cancelled or delayed travel for tourism purposes, all posts & comments are currently set to be manually reviewed by the Mod Team before being released.**

##**Frequently Asked Questions on Tourism Entry – May 2022**

**”Where do I book a tour package for the test re-opening?”**

>- **At this time, the tour packages have not been made available, but should be shortly, per the Government announcement. Once we have further information, it will be posted here.**

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

>- **Details have yet to be released at this time on when the borders will fully reopen. We still advise to avoid booking *non-refundable tickets* until the formal announcement has been made regarding the full opening of borders to tourism worldwide.**

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

>- **If you have already booked a flight [(**current border opening guidelines apply to Work, School, and Family of Foreign Residents at this time**)](https://archive.ph/vrauB), 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?”**

>- [**Travelers will be subject to a grouping system that will determine entry & quarantine measures based on vaccination status.**](https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14623293) **Approved vaccines are currently listed as Moderna, Pfizer, Astra-Zeneca, J&J, COVAXIN, and Novavax – however there is no word yet on any other vaccine types being accepted by the Government for entry, tourism or otherwise. Please check the** [**official MOFA website**](https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/page24e_000317.html) **for more information on dosage requirements.**

**”So, quarantine will still be in place when the borders re-open?”**

>- **[Depending on the country, travelers will be subject to a grouping system that will determine if you can skip quarantine,](https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20220519/p2a/00m/0na/006000c) and whether or not you need to have all 3 boosters to do so. The government will examine the infection situations in countries and regions and categorize them into three groups: red, yellow and blue. Passengers from the red group, the riskiest category in terms of infections, will be required to take the virus tests upon arrival and isolate for three days at designated quarantine facilities. If they have received three vaccine shots, they can self-quarantine at home but still must take the tests upon arrival. Those in the middle-risk yellow group will also be required to take virus tests and self-quarantine at home for three days. But if they have received booster shots of the COVID-19 vaccine, both requirements will be waived. Those in the low-risk blue group will be exempted from the tests and quarantine rules, even if they have not received their booster shots.**

##**Frequently Asked Questions on Non-Tourism Entry – May 2022**

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

>- **No entry to Japan is permitted on stopovers, or for transit between airports. At this time, there is no indication that this restriction will be lifted with the limited resumption of tourism later in May/June 2022. Further questions or concerns should be directed to your airline only, as your flight may still need to be changed in that time frame.**

**”I need more information on [special entry](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/04/13/national/japan-reopening-parents-foreign-residents/), or re-entry as a resident/family/spouse of resident of Japan, where should I post?”**

>- **Contact the Embassy of Japan in your country to find out more information on the documents required for entry.**

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

>- **Please go to /r/movingtojapan for information and updates.**

##**Daily Cases, Deaths & Vaccinations – Updated: 05/31**

>- **Confirmed Total Cases:** [**8,854,451 (+22,022)**](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/tags/82/)

>- **Confirmed Deaths:** [**30,636 (+39)**](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/tags/82/)

>- **1st dose:** [**103,563,713 – 81.8%**](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/special/coronavirus/vaccine/)

>- **2nd dose:** [**102,046,454 – 80.6%**](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/special/coronavirus/vaccine/)

>- **3rd dose:** [**74,853,783 – 59.1%**](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/special/coronavirus/vaccine/)

##**Monthly News Updates – May 2022**

**05/31** – [**From Kyodo News – More regional Japan airports to accept entrants from abroad: PM.**](https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2022/05/674e6bff7cb2-urgent-more-regional-japan-airports-to-accept-entrants-from-abroad-pm.html) The government will also unveil guidelines on COVID-era inbound tourism for the travel industry on June 7, Kishida said, three days before it resumes accepting tourists from overseas, initially targeting those on package tours with guides and fixed itineraries. The infection situation in Japan has been stabilizing in recent weeks and the daily cap on new arrivals from overseas is set to be raised Wednesday to 20,000 people from the current 10,000. “The resumption of inbound tourism carries great significance in that the benefits of the weak yen can be felt,” Kishida told reporters at his office. “We will enable regional airports such as Sendai (in northeastern Japan) to resume accepting international flights, in consultation with local governments,” he said. At present, international flights are limited to five airports in Japan — Haneda, Narita, Kansai, Chubu and Fukuoka — as part of COVID-19 restrictions. Naha and New Chitose airports, gateways to popular tourist spots in Okinawa and Hokkaido, respectively, are set to resume accepting international flights by the end of June.

**05/30** – [**From The Japan Times – Tourist on Japan’s package tour trial tests positive for COVID-19.**](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/05/30/national/trial-package-tour-covid19-case/) The tourists, all Thai nationals, got tested after the individual complained of a sore throat on Monday, according to Kyodo News. The tour has been canceled. The individual, who has no fever, is expected to quarantine in a repurposed facility for people who have tested positive for COVID-19. The travel agency that hosted the tour is coordinating with authorities to deal with the situation. The three close contacts are currently isolating at a separate hotel, the agency said. They received a negative result in an antigen test and do not have any symptoms.

**05/27** – [**From Kyodo News – Japan PM Kishida says foreign tourists should follow Japan face mask rules.**](https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2022/05/b477f466da40-kishida-says-foreign-tourists-should-follow-japan-face-mask-rules.html) Kishida’s statement came a day after he said Japan will open its borders to foreign tourists for the first time in about two years, starting from June 10 for those on package tours with guides and fixed itineraries, amid receding fears over the coronavirus. “We must have them follow Japanese rules of wearing face masks,” Kishida said in a session of the House of Representatives Budget Committee. He said the government will ask tour operators to tell tourists from abroad to abide by the instructions, and persuade companies, schools and other entities accepting foreign citizens to do likewise.

**05/26** – [**From The Japan Times – It’s official: Japan to allow in foreign tourists on package tours from June 10.**](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/05/26/national/tourism-restart-package-tours/) Masakazu Tokura, chairman of Keidanren, the nation’s biggest business lobby, voiced his expectation Monday that Japan will further ease its border controls. “The 20,000 cap is just a process. I expect it will become 50,000 and then 100,000, and eventually there will be free and open border controls similar to that of G7 countries,” Tokura said.

**05/26** – [**From Kyodo News – Japan to slowly resume accepting foreign tourists from June 10.**](https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2022/05/124431345ab7-urgent-japan-to-resume-accepting-foreign-tourists-on-june-10-kishida.html) While the government is poised to double the current cap on daily entries to 20,000 from next Wednesday, it will likely take time to again see the large numbers of foreign visitors seen as a key pillar to Japan’s economic growth. Tours will only be accepted from the “blue” list of 98 countries and regions presenting the lowest risk of infections, which includes the United States, China, Australia and South Korea. Individuals from blue list countries are exempt from testing and isolation measures. The list is subject to review at any time.

**05/25** – [**From Kyodo News – Japan mulls resuming foreign tourist entry in June.**](https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2022/05/07c03f97fe7d-breaking-news-japan-mulls-resuming-foreign-tourist-entry-in-june.html) While details such as whether the government will place a cap on the number of tourists allowed in are not yet known, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is expected to announce the plan Thursday at the earliest, the sources said.

**05/24** – [**From The Nikkei Asia – Japan begins trial to allow in small foreign tour groups.**](https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Japan-immigration/Japan-begins-trial-to-allow-in-small-foreign-tour-groups) Six travel agents will take a total of 15 groups during the trial period that lasts until early June. Tourists from Singapore, Thailand and Australia are also expected to take part in the project. Each tour group will comprise up to four people, who will be accompanied by a tour guide. Nippon Travel Agency will use cars for travel within a prefecture. Tourists will be required to wear face masks on bullet trains. These tourists will have their temperatures taken daily. The tour guides will also carry antigen test kits, and if an infection is suspected, arrangements will be made with local medical facilities.

**05/24** – [**From The Mainichi – 7 from US land in Japan for 1st test tours before tourism reopening.**](https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20220524/p2g/00m/0na/065000c) The seven will be split into two itineraries. One includes Tochigi Prefecture’s Nikko Toshogu shrine and Zenkoji temple in Nagano Prefecture, while the other features Iwate Prefecture’s Hanamakionsen hot spring resort and the Mogami River in Yamagata Prefecture. […] As part of infection prevention measures, groups will comprise no more than four people, with participants asked to wear masks when visiting tourist spots or using transportation. A correspondence system will also be set up for cases where someone tests positive mid-tour. […] Despite plans for some restrictions to be eased, including doubling the maximum daily limit on eligible overseas arrivals to 20,000 from June, no date for lifting tourist entry restrictions has been indicated.

**05/20** – [**From The Asahi Shimbun – Japan to waive virus tests, self-isolation for low-risk arrivals.**](https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14625853) The government will examine the infection situations in countries and regions and categorize them into three groups: red, yellow and blue. Passengers from the red group, the riskiest category in terms of infections, will be required to take the virus tests upon arrival and isolate for three days at designated quarantine facilities. If they have received three vaccine shots, they can self-quarantine at home but still must take the tests upon arrival. Those in the middle-risk yellow group will also be required to take virus tests and self-quarantine at home for three days. But if they have received booster shots of the COVID-19 vaccine, both requirements will be waived. Those in the low-risk blue group will be exempted from the tests and quarantine rules, even if they have not received their booster shots. The government will announce the countries and regions for each group next week.

**05/19** – [**From The Mainichi – Japan to classify countries in 3 groups for eased COVID border controls this summer.**](https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20220519/p2a/00m/0na/006000c) Under the grouping system, Japan will exempt people from countries and territories with the lowest positive COVID-19 results from testing, regardless of vaccination status. For travelers from the group with the second lowest positive rates, Japan will not require testing and isolation if they have been triple-inoculated with government-designated coronavirus vaccines. People arriving from the areas with the highest positive rates will need to go through the current procedure, including COVID-19 tests and post-arrival isolation.

**05/17** – [**From The Washington Post – Japan’s tiny tourism test will let in 50 foreign travelers.**](https://archive.ph/qVn30) Japan is preparing to welcome a small number of tourists back to the country after shutting its borders during the pandemic — but don’t count on being one of them. In a test to prepare for a larger resumption of travel, the country is planning to allow about 50 vaccinated-and-boosted travelers to visit as part of organized tours later this month, the Japan Tourism Agency said Tuesday. The pool of 50 travelers will be allowed from four countries Japan has designated as priority markets: the United States, Australia, Thailand and Singapore.
It wasn’t immediately clear how the travelers would be selected, or which tour companies would be involved. The Associated Press reported that each tour group would be capped at four people.

**05/17** – [**From The Asahi Shimbun – Japan to finally let in foreign tourists on trial basis this month.**](https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14623293) The entering tourists must be triple vaccinated and will be accompanied by tour conductors from travel agencies. The tour destinations in Japan will be limited to areas where local governments have given the green light. The central government will draw up guidelines for travel agencies and accommodation facilities after examining the effectiveness of anti-infection measures in the trial run and the responses to cases in which tour participants become infected. If the government determines that tours can be conducted without spreading infections, it will consider gradually accepting more tourists.

**05/16** – [**From The Nikkei Asia – Japan to test accepting tourists from Singapore, Thailand and more.**](https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus/Japan-to-test-accepting-tourists-from-Singapore-Thailand-and-more) The Japanese government will begin a trial project this month on accepting fully vaccinated inbound tourists, the Japan Tourism Agency said on Tuesday, ahead of its broader easing of COVID-19 border control measures slated for June. Small groups of tourists will be accepted from four countries — the U.S., Australia, Thailand and Singapore — to test the effectiveness of measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The trial project will focus on package tours in which Japanese travel agencies manage participants’ activities. Participants from the four countries will need to meet certain conditions, such as being triple-vaccinated, and travel agencies will need to accompany them on predetermined itineraries.

**05/16** – [**From Nippon.com – Japan to Begin Trial to Accept Foreign Tourists in June.**](https://www.nippon.com/en/news/yjj2022051600918/japan-to-begin-trial-to-accept-foreign-tourists-in-june.html) The Japanese government is planning to launch early in June a test project to accept participants of group package tours from overseas again, government officials said Monday. The move to receive foreign tourists, currently not allowed to enter Japan due to its COVID-19 border control measures, will be announced as early as this week. If there are no major problems, the government will gradually expand the range of foreign tourists allowed into Japan. On a television program Friday, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said that a major concern over the border control measures is when and how far Japan will reopen its borders to foreign tourists.

**05/14** – [**From The Japan Times – Kishida hints for first time at easing Japan’s mask standards.**](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/05/14/national/politics-diplomacy/kishida-masks-relax-standards/) On border control measures against the virus, Kishida also offered more details of the government’s preparations for potentially loosening its tough measures. “Our major focus is when (foreign) tourists should be allowed to start coming to Japan and how many tourists should be accepted,” he sad. “We hope to conduct an experiment (on group tours) shortly, if possible, as part of preparations so that we can get ready for next month and later.” The TV program was recorded Friday evening and aired late at night. In a parliamentary committee meeting that morning, the prime minister had denied he was considering easing the mask standards

**05/12** – [**From The Asahi Shimbun – Japan moving to double entry cap to 20,000 from June 1.**](https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14619136) The government is also considering exempting arriving passengers from being tested for COVID-19 if they come from nations with low rates of new infections, test negative upon departure from their home countries or show proof of COVID-19 vaccination. It is expected to announce a final decision by the end of May after monitoring the infection situation in Japan, where cases have begun climbing again after the Golden Week series of national holidays that ended earlier in the month. The easing of entry restrictions is aimed at raising daily arrivals of business travelers to the pre-pandemic level of 30,000, according to the sources.

**05/12** – [**From The Japan Times – Japan detects first cases of BA.4 and BA.5 omicron in airport screening.**](https://archive.ph/6Pi86) There were two cases of the BA.5 subvariant, found in a man in his 60s arriving at Narita Airport from Zambia and another man in his 60s arriving at Narita from Spain. Both individuals arrived on April 29 and were asymptomatic. BA.4 was found in a man in his 50s flying from South Africa who arrived at Narita Airport on April 22. He is also asymptomatic, the health ministry said. The three were fully vaccinated with three shots, according to the ministry.

**05/11** – [**From The Nikkei Asia – Japan looks to waive airport COVID tests for vaccinated travelers.**](https://archive.ph/AG27Z) The plans under consideration include exempting those who have received a third dose of a coronavirus vaccine or tested negative in pre-departure testing. The infection rate in the country of origin will also be taken in to account. Currently, all travelers arriving in Japan must undergo COVID-19 tests. “As for measures at borders from June, we’re reassessing our testing rules and quarantine requests,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told a press conference Wednesday. “We’ll make appropriate decisions based on the situation at home and abroad and control measures taken by other countries,” he said. The government will make a final decision based on Japan’s infection trends following the Golden Week holiday, which ended Sunday.

**05/11** – [**From Kyodo News – Japan planning to allow 20,000 daily international arrivals in June.**](https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2022/05/38939cb7ae7d-breaking-news-japan-planning-to-allow-20000-daily-foreign-arrivals-in-june.html) The relaxation is expected to go ahead following an examination of airport quarantine infrastructure and the state of domestic infections after Japan’s Golden Week holidays that ended last Sunday. Additionally, the government is considering accepting tourists by trialing small-scale tours as soon as this month, with an eye to expanding reception of foreign leisure travelers in stages.

**05/10** – [**From The Japan Times – Japan should end cap on overseas visitors, senior LDP lawmaker says.**](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/05/10/national/japan-end-cap-overseas-visitors-senior-ldp-lawmaker-says/) Speaking in an interview Tuesday at his offices in parliament, Hiroshige Seko said the country should wind down some of the toughest COVID-related border restrictions among leading economies. He said travelers who have received three vaccine doses should be allowed entry, but be required to wear masks in line with government advice. “Japan’s border controls have lost a lot of their significance” because the spread of the infection isn’t leading to hospital overcrowding, Seko said. “We should abolish them.” He added that he would seek to have the government consider the idea. His comments came after Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pledged in a speech in London last week to relax Japan’s virus-related border controls in line with other Group of Seven major democracies in June. He later said the opening up would happen gradually — based on the advice of experts and the latest infection figures.

**05/07** – [**From The Japan Times – Japan to allow tourist groups as soon as this month, report says.**](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/liveblogs/news/coronavirus-outbreak-updates/#:~:text=month%2C%20report%20says-,Japan%20is%20set%20to%20experiment%20with%20opening%20its%20borders%20to%20small,said%20a%20decision%20could%20come%20by%20the%20end%20of%20this%20month.,-The%20reports%20came) Japan is set to experiment with opening its borders to small groups of vaccinated foreign tourists as soon as this month, Fuji News Network reported Friday, in a potential lifeline for the country’s ailing travel industry. **Those wishing to visit must have undergone three COVID-19 vaccination shots and be part of a package tour with a fixed itinerary, FNN said, citing multiple government officials. The limited resumption of inbound tourism will be treated as an experiment and, if infections do not spread, the program will be expanded, it said.** Japan is also looking at doubling the daily entry cap to 20,000 and accepting overseas tourists from June, the Nikkei newspaper reported, citing unnamed sources. That report said a decision could come by the end of this month.

**05/06** – [**From Kyodo News – Japan looking to resume accepting foreign tourists in June.**](https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2022/05/c56cad852703-urgent-japan-looking-to-accept-foreign-tourists-again-in-june-source.html) The government currently allows up to 10,000 people a day to enter Japan, but visitors are limited to businesspeople, technical interns and students. It plans to raise the cap as well as the number of foreign tourists in stages in the coming months. During the trial phase, small groups of foreigners would visit sightseeing spots based on fixed itineraries in order for the government to see whether it can grasp their movements and how to respond if a COVID-19 case is detected, according to the source. The government will also consider requiring that participants have already had booster vaccine shots before the tours. Japan strengthened its border controls in February 2020 as the virus spread around the world. The government later began admitting a limited number of vaccinated foreign visitors with business purposes.

**05/06** – [**From The Nikkei Asia – Japan weighs welcoming foreign tourists as early as June.**](https://archive.ph/E4hE9) Japan might start accepting foreign tourists next month, Nikkei has learned. The government will make a final decision on lifting the ban on tourist visas in two weeks, when the number of infections during Golden Week will be known. […] One option regarding foreign tourism under consideration is to start with group tours, which are easier for travel agencies and others to manage. The upper limit on the number of entrants will also be changed. One idea is to increase the daily entry quota from the current 10,000 to 20,000, for the time being. The government is also considering accepting tourists from the U.S., Europe, and Asia under certain conditions, such as limiting the number of people. Officials will explore ways to balance steps to combat COVID-19 and reviving the economy.

**05/05** – [**From The Nikkei Asia – Transcript: Japan PM Kishida’s speech in London.**](https://archive.ph/1SCra) “At the end of last year, Japan strengthened its border control measures in response to the global spread of the Omicron variant. It was an essential public-health step to delay the variant’s entry into the country. This allowed us to fortify our healthcare system and promote vaccinations. I hope it is not too boastful to say that Japan’s response to COVID-19 has been one of the most successful in the world. We have now eased border control measures significantly, with the next easing taking place in June, when Japan will introduce a smoother entry process similar to that of other G7 members.”

**05/03** – [**From The Japan Times – The ¥22 trillion question: When will Japan reopen to foreign tourists?**](https://archive.ph/SDNqB) As was the case before Japan opened its borders to foreign students and business travelers, one frustration for people who want to come to Japan is the unpredictability of the situation — not knowing when and how the decision will be made, and under what conditions. The criteria that Kishida and other top government officials have mentioned — numbers of COVID-19 cases at home and abroad, and border restrictions in other countries — remain too vague for people to figure out. To alleviate concerns about opening borders all at once, Japan could start by allowing visitors on package tours with tour conductors and guides, and then open up to more people in phases, Wada said. “The important thing is for the government to show the road map,” he said. “After the basic direction is drafted, details can be hammered out by experts.”

**05/03** – [**From NHK News – Researchers detect Omicron subvariant with new mutation first time in Japan.**](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220502_33/) The two patients’ symptoms were light. Researchers believe that the mutation occurred in Japan because of its genetic characteristics and the fact that the patients have no recent records of overseas travel. Subvariants with similar mutations have reportedly been confirmed in Britain and other countries and are on the rise. Associate Professor Takeuchi says the new mutation could make the subvariant highly contagious, so people should continue to take anti-virus measures.