##**Moderator’s Note: As it has been confirmed that Olympic Tourists will not be allowed to enter Japan for the Olympic or Paralympic Games, we now anticipate there may be no further discussion by the Japanese Government on allowing Tourism and Travel to resume until after the Games have completed, and a major election has been held to determine the new prime Minister and ruling party of Japan – November 2021 at the earliest, if at all this year. This Discussion thread will continue to stay open, and we will update with relevant 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)
##**Tourism News – May 2021**
>- [**From NHK News – US raises warning level against travel to Japan.**](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210525_06/)
>The US State Department has issued a stronger warning to its citizens against traveling to Japan due to the coronavirus situation in the country.
>The department raised its travel advisory level for Japan to the highest on its four-tier scale — “Level 4: Do Not Travel.”
>The department cited the latest update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which says, “Because of the current situation in Japan even fully vaccinated travelers may be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19 variants.”
>- [**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)
>Japan is planning to issue certificates to those who have been vaccinated against COVID-19, as part of plans to restart business travel, with the government appointing a cross-ministry team led by Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato to oversee the project.
>Kato on Thursday told reporters that he would coordinate the discussions around the certificates. The team will consist of members from different departments including the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Justice and Cabinet Secretariat.
>The government expects that the certificates will be used as proof of vaccination at airports, hotels and immigration counters. It will initially issue paper certificates but with the view of developing an electronic version that can be managed on a smartphone app. Data from Japan’s centralized vaccination record system will provide the information for the certificates.
>The government hopes that this will make travel easier for businesses, students who study overseas, and foreign nationals residing in Japan.
**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.**
>- [**From The Japan Times – Japan to introduce ‘vaccine passports’ for international travel.**](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/04/28/national/japan-vaccine-passports/)
>Japan plans to introduce “vaccine passports” to make it easier for people who have been inoculated against COVID-19 to travel internationally, government sources said Wednesday. The passports are expected to be in the form of a smartphone app, with travelers scanning a QR code at the airport before boarding a flight or when entering the country. **The government is moving forward with the plan in the hope of resuming business travel, which has virtually stopped during the pandemic, to shore up the world’s third-largest economy.**
**Mod Note – While there is a fair assumption that this will apply to Tourism in the future, we must advise that this does not equate an opening of borders to tourism any time soon. The borders will open when the Japanese Government advises as such, again we assume no earlier than November 2021, if at all this year.**
>- [**From Nikkei Asia – Japan to join EU and China in issuing digital vaccine passport.**](https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus/COVID-vaccines/Japan-to-join-EU-and-China-in-issuing-digital-vaccine-passport)
##**Olympic News – May 2021**
>- [**From Kyodo News – Japan mulls requiring Olympic spectators show negative COVID test.**](https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/05/7e2e4abad04a-urgent-japan-mulls-requiring-olympic-spectators-show-negative-covid-test.html)
>Japan is considering requiring Tokyo Olympic spectators to present proof of having tested negative for COVID-19 when entering a venue as part of measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, sources familiar with the matter said Monday. The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said some government officials have also proposed that spectators be allowed into venues if they show a certificate proving they have been vaccinated for the virus.
>- [**From The Japan Times – Suga eager to hold Tokyo Games with domestic spectators.**](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/05/29/national/suga-spectators-olympics-paralympics/)
>Other than athletes, a total of about 78,000 people related to the Tokyo Games are expected to visit Japan during the events — 59,000 for the Olympics and 19,000 for the Paralympics. Stressing that the total number is down sharply from an initial plan of 180,000, Suga said “we will call for the figure to be reduced further” as an infection prevention step.
>He said that Olympic and Paralympic officials and media people from abroad will be asked to use designated accommodation facilities to prevent them from having contact with residents of Japan. They will also be requested to only use buses and other vehicles that will be prepared specifically for them.
>Those who fail to follow the requests will be deported, Suga added.
>“Athletes and people related to the Olympics and Paralympics will be vaccinated against the coronavirus and thoroughly tested for possible infection,” Suga said.
>- [**From Nikkei Asia – Japan can’t call it quits if IOC says games must go on.**](https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Tokyo-2020-Olympics/Japan-can-t-call-it-quits-if-IOC-says-games-must-go-on)
>A close reading of the contract signed by the IOC, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Japanese Olympic Committee suggests a lopsided arrangement that puts the host city at a distinct disadvantage. For starters, only the IOC has the authority to cancel the games — including in cases where “the safety of participants in the games would be seriously threatened or jeopardized.” Tokyo, the JOC and the Tokyo organizing committee cannot claim any “indemnity, damages or other compensation” for a cancellation, the contract says. And if the IOC does call off the games at Japan’s request, the latter has financial obligations toward such parties as the IOC and broadcasters.
“There is a possibility that the IOC will request damages from the Japanese side,” said Waseda University sport sciences professor Taisuke Matsumoto, an attorney specializing in international sporting event contracts.
>- [**From The Mainichi – IOC VP gets backlash saying Tokyo Olympics are on, no matter virus.**](https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210523/p2g/00m/0sp/042000c)
>Coates said what the IOC and local organizers have been trying to persuade the Japanese public about for months: The postponed Olympics with 11,000 athletes from 200 nations and territories will open on July 23 and will be “safe and secure.” But his defiant tone has stirred a backlash in Japan where 60-80% in polls say they do not want the Olympics to open in two months in the midst of a pandemic. Just over 12,000 deaths in Japan — good by global standards, but poor in Asia — have been attributed to COVID-19. But Tokyo and Osaka and several other areas are under a state of emergency until May 31. And it’s likely to be extended.
>- [**From Kyodo News – Gov’t, organizers inclining to allow spectators at Tokyo Games.**](https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/05/4030d28297c8-govt-organizers-inclining-to-allow-spectators-at-tokyo-games.html)
>The organizers are scheduled to decide next month on the number of spectators by considering the infection situation and other factors. There are concerns that allowing spectators will increase foot traffic outside venues, meaning additional countermeasures will be required. The sources also said the no-spectator option will likely be maintained until the last minute should there be a rapid deterioration of the infection situation. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga favors having spectators, with a source close to his office confirming that measures are being considered to allow fans in the stands.
>- [**From The BBC – Tokyo Olympics: Why doesn’t Japan cancel the Games?**](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-57097853)
>Japan has long insisted there was no question the Olympics, which should have taken place last summer, would be held and will be safe. Yet earlier this week, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga for the first time appeared to bow to the pressure of public opinion, saying that the government would “not put the Olympics first” – but adding that ultimately, the decision would lie with the IOC. **So who actually wields the power to cancel the Games – and is a cancellation likely to happen?**
>- [**From Kyodo News – IOC chief Bach’s Japan visit in May postponed due to virus.**](https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/05/ed992f4ce747-urgent-ioc-chief-bachs-japan-visit-in-may-postponed-due-to-virus.html)
>The postponement of the trip came at a time when the Tokyo Games have been met with opposition at home due to concerns that they can contribute to the spread of the virus and add pressure to hospitals that have been struggling to treat an increasing number of COVID-19 patients. An online petition calling for the games to be canceled has collected over 300,000 signatures as of Monday evening, less than a week since it was launched.
>- [**From Kyodo News – IOC to provide Tokyo Olympic athletes with Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine doses.**](https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/05/e1435f6911ca-breaking-news-ioc-to-provide-tokyo-olympic-athletes-with-pfizer-covid-19-vaccines.html)
>The International Olympic Committee announced Thursday it will provide athletes attending this summer’s Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics with doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, developed by Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE, free of charge. […] Japan plans to finish inoculating those 65 and over by the end of July. The Olympics opening ceremony is scheduled for July 23.
>- [**From Kyodo News – Organizing committee vice president “sure Olympics will go forward”.**](https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/05/d6b63adc5171-organizing-committee-vice-president-sure-olympics-will-go-forward.html)
>Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics Organizing Committee Vice President Toshiaki Endo on Saturday asserted his belief that coronavirus countermeasures will allow the games to be held and that organizers are not considering cancellation. “In case (COVID-19) is widespread in the society, it’s not impossible that we could decide they can’t be held, but we’re preparing thinking we can definitely hold them given Japan’s situation and countermeasures,” Endo said on a BS TV Tokyo program. Shigeru Omi, an infectious disease expert who chairs a government subcommittee on the coronavirus response, on Wednesday said it is “about time to have a proper discussion” on whether to hold the games. Endo characterized Omi’s remarks as “reasonable from the standpoint of an expert’s opinion,” but said the organizing committee’s panel of experts is exploring concrete plans to safely host the games. Asked about the possibility and timing of a decision to cancel the Tokyo Games, Endo said, “We’re not considering that.”
>- [**From Kyodo News – Tokyo Olympic organizers brace for no spectators**](https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/04/695a75baa2ec-japan-to-test-all-olympic-athletes-for-covid-on-daily-basis.html)
>The organizing body of the Tokyo Olympics is prepared for the possibility of holding this summer’s global sporting event without spectators as the coronavirus pandemic continues to rage, the committee’s president said Wednesday. “If the situation is expected to cause problems for the medical system, in order to put the highest priority on safety and security, there may come a time when we have to decide to go ahead with no spectators,” Seiko Hashimoto said after attending a virtual meeting with other organizers of the Tokyo Games.
>- [**From CBC News – Hayley Wickenheiser again sounds alarm, saying wrong people making decision on Olympic Games.**](https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/olympics-hayley-wickenheiser-resounds-olympic-alarm-saying-wrong-people-making-decision-on-games-1.5999462)
>Now, in the midst of a third wave with aggressive coronavirus variants ravaging communities globally and many places in Canada locked down, Wickenheiser is once again questioning whether it is safe to stage the Games. “I have to ask the questions. And I think they’re fair questions,” Wickenheiser told CBC Sports. “Prior to the pandemic I said there’s no way the Olympics can go ahead because history told us there was no way they could. And now I’m saying I don’t know, I wonder if they can again.” She’s uniquely positioned to speak to the issue as a four-time gold medallist and a member of the IOC’s Athletes Commission. She is also a week away from graduating with a medical degree. Wickenheiser understands all of the training, preparation and money that’s been poured into these Games, but said the bottom line should be safety and public health. “This decision needs to be made by medical and health experts, not by corporate and big business,” she said. “A very clear and transparent explanation needs to be given if the Games are going to go ahead.”
>- [**From The Mainichi – Organizers decide to hold Tokyo Olympics without overseas spectators due to pandemic.**](https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210320/p2g/00m/0sp/092000c)
>**The organizing bodies of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics formally decided Saturday that this summer’s games will be staged without overseas spectators due to the coronavirus pandemic.** The unprecedented decision was made by the heads of the organizers, including the International Olympic Committee and the Tokyo metropolitan government, during a remote meeting that was held just four months before the rescheduled games are set to open in the Japanese capital. “It is very unfortunate, but seeing the current state of infections and what should be done to avoid causing strains on our medical system, it cannot be helped,” Seiko Hashimoto, president of the Japanese organizing committee, told a press conference. The organizers agreed to hold another meeting in April to set a direction on the issue of how many people will be permitted to watch athletes in the stands, but they will continue to monitor the situation in the country to be flexible in deciding the specifics. […] **The organizing committee will refund the purchasers of roughly 600,000 Olympic tickets and 30,000 Paralympic tickets already sold outside Japan.**
>- [**From Kyodo News – No spectators at opening ceremony of Tokyo Olympic torch relay.**](https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/03/77ba7e8c23d5-no-spectators-at-opening-ceremony-of-tokyo-olympic-torch-relay.html)
>The Tokyo Games organizing committee said Monday the Olympic torch relay’s opening ceremony on March 25 will be held without spectators in the northeastern Fukushima Prefecture to help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. The ceremony at the J-Village soccer training center, which was a frontline base to manage the nuclear crisis triggered by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, will only be attended by the event’s participants and invitees to avoid large crowds forming.
##**Mod Notes:**
**Feel free to discuss these topics within this thread, but note that *this thread 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 certain that it may not be this year. **For the sake of everyone, please refrain from asking if anyone knows when they will re-open for sure, if your trip is going to happen, or if being vaccinated will increase the likelihood of entry as a tourist this year. Nobody can tell you with any degree of certainty, and there has been no official word on vaccinated people being allowed to skip quarantine or being granted entry ahead of anyone else at this time.** 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.
>- **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/mibur3/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/or met with bans at Moderator discretion.**
Thank you!
41 comments
I was hoping to visit this August but it looks like it won’t be open by then.
I will be cautious and book my trip this autumn for next spring. We’ll see…
How dumb is it to buy a plane ticket for Japan on late december~early January? Are you guys waiting? I’m planning on staying for two months. Do you have any refund experiences with ANA / united airlines? Thanks😊
I’m very nervous my husband and I won’t be able to take our trip late August to early September 2021. We’re both fully vaccinated, but how screwed are we still? We are making sure the air bnbs are fully refundable as we’re booking them
Going to a language school in Tokyo and still have no idea when I can start my application. The school is ready to receive my information but I just can’t justify applying now when I don’t even know when I can start.
This would be a weeks-long course during my vacation, not an extended stay. So I’m going for a tourist visa.
I have plane tickets booked for February 2022. I’ve been keeping an eye on the situation going on over in Japan and while I’ve heard promising things about vaccination rates and plans, I’ve yet to see anything that says definitively that I’ll be able to travel then. I’m cautiously continuing as if the trip is happening however as I’m applying for my passport and still looking at hotel rates, however I’m not booking anything else until I can find out more.
Is this the wrong mindset to have? The trip is 8/9 months away and I’m not sure how much of a buffer that provides. Everything I’ve booked so far can be transferred and / or cancelled with refund so I have no fear of rebooking. Mostly just not sure how long should I wait / hold onto the current dates to see how things play out?
Is there a way to move to Japan as an American if I’m willing to quit my job, get a job in Japan, etc? Literally willing to take any possible path to relocate to Japan?
I also have visa access to relocate to Taiwan, so if there’s a way to have an entry visa, technically travel from Taiwan to Japan is not blocked.
So the CDC finally said vaccinated people can mingle in small or large groups, indoors or out, without a mask. I hopeeeee Japan gets their vaccines in order and come to the same conclusion soon.
Boyfriend and I are planning a trip for November 2022… we plan to be fully vaccinated by then.. how likely is it we will be able to enjoy a maskless holiday? As lockdowns get extended our hopes are dwindling.
So funny. The mods gave me downvotes as i said summer may be a possibility. They said japan will not open before 22. Look now.. theres allready vac. Passport soon to be established. Now they saying not befor November. Things change like i said. It is unpredictable.
Is there any difference in getting into Japan if you have relatives living there? Do they make exceptions for these kind of relationships? My brother lives in Japan with his wife and son and damn I would love to visit them anytime soon after waiting so long…
I did it! Bought tickets for me and the wife for late March ‘22! Changeable no fee tickets! Now to monitor this thread daily if not hourly
I believe this is the right place to ask so i’ll ask here. Is late December 2021/Early Jan 2022 a realistic time to go? Me and my girlfriend went at the same time in 2019 and had a blast and really enjoyed the weather and christmas vibes and want to go back at the end of this year but we’re not sure if its too early (we are both vaccinated and healthy, we just dont want to deal with a potential quarantine or get denied or something.)
I hate to be this pessimistic, but is 2023 going to be my best bet? I like to take my trips in February because most international tourist aren’t out and prices are usually good and my coworkers never want to take any time off then either. It’s like the win win win month for me. Should I risk getting burned on a February 2022 ticket? I know refundable and etc travel advice.
Is planning a Japan trip for June-August 2022 too unrealistic? That’s the summer following my senior year and I’m saving up to travel there to celebrate graduating.
One piece of positive news—Today was the first time within 24 hours Japan reported more than 500k doses. Also, the mega sites are opening in the next week, and Moderna/AZ are likely to be approved on Thursday. (Definitely Moderna, not as sure about AZ). On top of this, they are considering having Pharmacists give the vaccines (along with the expansion to dentists in some cases) all which could speed things up. Obviously doesn’t change anything immediately, but it’s great news that Japan *may* start get this thing rolling soon.
​
edit: Moderna/AZ approved! Yay!
Had May 2020 and May 2021 cancelled. Hoping the May 2022 trip I have planned can finally go ahead! I feel like we’ll finally see positive travel news start to emerge in the second half of this year.
So with the olympics and such, is it looking like travel bans will be lifted?
LOT Polish airlines just launched a promo offer for flights from Poland to Japan for the following travel period 11.06.2021 – 14.12.2021 & 03.01.2022 – 31.03.2022
Do you reckon this is just a way to extract more money from customers for flights, which are doomed to be cancelled and then not refunded for months, or do you believe they have news of an upcoming reopening?
I’ve been holding off on planning my Japan travels for so long now and this really got my hopes up…
Just curious but if someone travels out of Japan (student) to the UK, would they be able to re-enter?
This is just my opinion, but It’s going to be open by the end of the year. The whole world will be barring a new variant breakout. Japan is going to increase their daily vaccination number as well and we are all going to be able to enjoy that incredible country by Winter this year.
At the moment is it not allowed to visit Japan ?
Is there any future date to be allowed ?
Do anyone know if they allow visitors for medical purpose?
My uncle is in a very bad state of Parkinson disease and one medical agency in Japan told him he can come and get surgery done in Tokyo. They asked him to finalise the payment in a week. My relatives are in Vietnam where the total cases just reached 1722 while Japan has like 70k cases. This is a risky time to travel and I don’t even know if they are allowed in.
Well this is promising https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/05/b8d1b0beb524-japan-health-ministry-panel-set-to-approve-moderna-astrazeneca-vaccines.html
Well here’s to hoping that with the possibility of vaccines being approved that by the fall or next spring me and my brother can plan a trip. Been in the works for about 10-12 years to get the ability to visit.
I don’t exactly have money to burn, but after getting a refund for April 2020, then a refund for my rebooked April 2021, I have now gone and booked for April 2022.
It is amendable, but not refundable. But I got to the point where the refunded money for the flights just sitting there was driving me mad. So much so that I’d rather risk losing it. I may have gone mental
Thank you so much for putting your time into collecting this deliberate information! I was starting to, naively, hope that I could visit my sister this October, but I see that that’s not going to happen. I haven’t seen her for 1,5 years now, does anyone know if Japan has any relaxations when it comes to visiting family? Personally, my own country allows you to travel out when you are visiting family, and have done so through the whole pandemic.
And again the negativ mods were wrong.
“No travel to japan til 2022 blah blah blah”
The covid cert. Is closer and closer.
I still say travel in late july or august will be possible.
“Ken Kobayashi, chairman of Japan Foreign Trade Council, on Wednesday said that he wanted Japan to issue vaccine certificates as early as possible.”
And no its not for local travel. Mods should read the article. “AND IMIGRATION COUNTETS”
When the world opens to tourism again, what are everyone’s predictions for number of people willing to travel?
Just curious about the sentiment as I can’t seem to pick a side. On one hand, lot of people will be discouraged from traveling due to covid. But will they be discouraged if they are vaccinated? Covid has likely not motivated anyone new to travel, but people will have been sitting on their bums for close to two years when everything finally opens up (hopefully) so maybe lot more of them (us) will be willing to travel somewhere ASAP? People had 2 years to save up, but also lot of people lost their jobs so they are not in a position to travel (although in this case I lean onto the first case; massive job losses seem to have mainly affected the US from what I read).
^I’m ^bored ^at ^work ^and ^just ^want ^to ^read ^what ^everyone ^thinks.
Welp.. my Japanese university just notified me that they will not be accepting my exchange.. that makes 2nd time in a row now. Thanks Japanese government you absolutely useless waste of air, hope your olympics ruin your shit even more while the rest of the world enjoys our progress.
>The US on Monday raised its travel advisory level for Japan by one notch to the highest on its four-tier scale — “Level 4: Do Not Travel.”
>The CDC warns, “Because of the current situation in Japan **even fully vaccinated travelers may be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19 variants.**”
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210525_07/
Full travel to Japan is not likely to resume until the country has reached ~~herd imminity~~ a low case rate and/or moderate amount of immunity to the virus.
little bit of optimism for everyone. According to John Hopkin’s data, Japan is vaccinating around 500k people a day and are working their way up 1 million/day.
With a population of 126 million, as long as the government can keep vaccine skepticism down, it’s possible that a majority of adults will be vaccinated by the end of the year.
Apparently those in the JET program received an email recently telling them to prepare to move to Japan between September and December.
As one of our resident glass half full person I am obliged to share this excellent news. Japan is massively going to expand those allowed to vaccinate. This is a game changer.
https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus/COVID-vaccines/Japan-enlists-lab-staff-and-paramedics-to-reach-1m-jabs-a-day
So depending on of the Philippines drops their week quarantine for visitors, I had planned to go in October, and also spend 3 days during that time in Japan, I am fully vaccinated. If I am understanding this right Japan’s borders are closed to tourism? And will be till at least November?
[deleted]
**”The borders will open when the Japanese Government advises as such, again we assume no earlier than November 2021, if at all this year.”**
I’ve got a trip planned for November of this year, lol.
Got an email from ANA:
>To meet travel demands, we’re offering an additional direct flight from San Francisco to Osaka, Kansai (July 4). Start planning your next trip with ANA.
I don’t know what demand there currently is, but interesting I guess.
Japan will be fully open to everyone by January of 2022.
PERIOD.
Booked our flight to Tokyo at the end of December 2021.
Will be traveling with a two-month old baby and a a 2.5 year old daughter. We are actually planning to visit New Zealand, but wanted to stay in Japan for ~14 days.
I have been in Japan before (2016) and it was so beautiful. Proudly climbed the 富士山 and visited a bunch of different places.
Please wish us luck that we will be allowed to enter Japan with no more than three days of quarantine. 😄
So I bought a ticket to go to Japan late October to early November. I’m really hoping they’ll allow tourists by then