##**July 2020 – [Japan is closed to International Tourism at this time.](https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/page4e_001053.html) Please wait until official Government announcements are made and protocol established before booking or rebooking any flights, hotels, or other forms of entertainment for any future trips.**
[**Travel Restrictions Arriving In Japan are noted here on the MOFA Website.**](https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/page4e_001053.html) Transit through Japan is ONLY possible through Narita Airport or Haneda Airport. You cannot depart the airport without facing quarantine measures, unless you take a cab from one airport to the other – *this is a cost of up to $400.00 USD for a one-way trip.* If you have booked your trip already, or are flying on a rebooked ticket, please speak to your airline right away if you have any further concerns.
[**Travel Restrictions returning FROM Japan are updated here by the IATA.**](https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/international-travel-document-news/1580226297.htm?fbclid=IwAR2WslrxafmyDs1xTrCFsdErfbjh646Bz6VypJDf-q_LZhX63nFhUOrZR7Y) An Interactive Map explaining restrictions is found [**here,**](https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/international-travel-document-news/1580226297.htm) sourced from IATA information.
[**If you are seeking information on your Work/School related entry, please go to /r/movingtojapan’s Megathread.**](https://www.reddit.com/r/movingtojapan/comments/gdqrxl/coronavirus_covid19s_impact_on_moving_to_japan/)
Unfortunately, outside of “Nobody is allowed to enter, and we do not know when this will change”, there is no further information on that topic that this sub can offer you.
[**If you are seeking information on re-entry as a Visa Holder, or information on how to renew your Tourist Visa while still in Japan, please go to /r/japanlife’s Megathread.**](https://www.reddit.com/r/japanlife/comments/hi3c7f/japanlife_coronavirus_megathread_the_final/) As we only deal with short-term tourism, we cannot advise on these matters here. There have been several excellent threads in that subreddit regarding those issues, so we do suggest you search the sub for more information before you post.
**A backup of the original thread with minor changes is found in our** [**FAQ.**](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/wiki/faqs/japantravel#wiki_.22i_need_some_information_about_the_covid-19_situation_in_japan._what_do_you_know_at_this_time.3F.22)
**Please check [**here**]( https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/evs3f9/japan_travel_the_2019ncov_and_you_guidelines_on/) for the original post from when this situation began, and [**here**](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/guf8zc/japan_travel_covid19_and_you_guidelines_on_travel/) for the most recent thread from this event.**
##**CONFIRMED CASES UPDATE: 07/31**
>**As of this writing, Japan has 35,521 confirmed cases, 1,020 people have died.**
>**NHK News Japan has a graph of existing cases in Japan by prefecture** [**here.**](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/special/coronavirus/data/) This breakdown is provided by NHK Japan, and this information is culled from the Ministry of Heath in Japan.
>[**NHK World, the english subsidiary, provides further information and a link to the toll-free information lines for tourists in Japan, as well as daily updates to total infections and deaths.**](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/tags/82/)
>[**The Johns Hopkins CSSE map is another source for confirmation of cases in Japan.**](https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html) [This map](https://mhlw-gis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/0c5d0502bbb54f9a8dddebca003631b8) shows breakdown by location in Japan specifically.
##**TOURISM NEWS UPDATES**
**07/28** – [From NHK News – Japan’s Daily Coronavirus Infections Exceed 1,200.](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200729_44/) Tokyo continues to be the biggest hot spot with 250 cases on Wednesday. The daily figure has been above 200 eight of the past nine days.
**07/25** – [From NHK News – Japan Coronavirus Cases Exceed 30,000.](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200726_03/) The Tokyo Metropolitan Government reported 295 new cases on Saturday. It’s the fifth straight day that the figure has topped 200.
**07/16** – [From The Japan Times – Tokyo Reports 286 New Coronavirus Cases, Another Record High.](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/07/16/national/tokyo-280-new-coronavirus-cases/) Young people in their 20s and 30s, who are more likely to be asymptomatic or experience only mild symptoms, account for the majority of infections tallied in Tokyo over the past three weeks. Many cases have been traced back to host and hostess bars, maid cafes and other nightlife destinations in the Kabukicho and Ikebukuro districts of Shinjuku and Toshima wards, respectively.
**07/15** – [From NHK News – Tokyo Raises Alert Level For Coronavirus.](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200715_37/) More than 200 cases were reported for four days in a row through Sunday. Since then, numbers have dipped slightly but are still topping 100, with 165 cases reported on Wednesday.
**07/02** – [From NHK News – Tokyo’s New Virus Cases Top 100 For 2nd Day.](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200703_18/) The Tokyo Metropolitan Government says newly confirmed cases of the coronavirus topped 100 on Friday. The capital’s daily total has hit triple digits for the second day in a row.
**07/02** – [From Mainichi News – Major Japan Airports To Set Up PCR Test Centers To Help Restore Int’l Travel.](https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20200702/p2a/00m/0na/006000c) Businessmen and other individuals from Vietnam are already allowed to travel to and from Japan, and the national government aims to do the same for countries such as Thailand, Taiwan, Myanmar, and Brunei. The government has also entered into negotiations with Australia and New Zealand, but *travel between the Asian countries is expected to precede.*
**07/01** – [From NHK News – Japan Eyes Easing Entry Restrictions On Taiwan.](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200702_01/) The government is more cautious about easing restrictions for China and South Korea because if it does so, large numbers of people are expected to come to Japan. *The European Union has agreed to lift travel restrictions for people in Japan, but Tokyo plans to maintain its’ entry restrictions on the EU, saying the outbreak in the region has yet to be contained.*
**07/01** – [From NHK News – Tokyo Olympic Official: Decision To Hold Can Wait.](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200701_38/) The organizing committee has been making preparations on the assumption that the Games will go ahead as currently planned.
**07/01** – [From NHK News – Tokyo Confirms 67 New Coronavirus Cases.](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200701_31/) The minister in charge of the country’s coronavirus response says cooperation is essential to prepare for a possible surge in infections.
##**MONTHLY SUMMARY**
>**June 2020 Summary**
>In early July, [**Tokyo began the move to Step 2 of the recovery plan**](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200601_11/) after the previous SOE was lifted, but faced a spike in infections shortly thereafter. [**They also added another 18 countries to the Ban Entry list**](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200605_27/), and confirmed suspiciouns that the [**IOC would require the Olympics to be held in 2021 – or not at all.**](https://japantoday.com/category/2020-tokyo-olympics/it’s-2021-or-never-for-tokyo-confirms-senior-olympic-official) The IOC says they will have a [**plan finalized for the 2021 Olympics in September 2020.**](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200610_09/) Mid-month, the Japanese government revealed it was beginning a [**plan to allow up to 250 businesspeople into the country each day**](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/06/11/national/japan-250-business-travelers-four-countries-daily/#.XuI2-UVKiUk) from areas like Australia, New Zealand, Thailand and Vietnam. Cancellations continued with the announcement that the Formula 1 race held in Japan would be cancelled this year, but reopenings were also declared at Universal Studios Japan and Tokyo Disney Parks. [**Businesspeople from Vietnam became the first to be allowed into the country**](https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2020/06/cd172dae467b-urgent-travel-from-japan-to-vietnam-to-partially-resume-this-week-motegi.html)
after a long closure to flights due to the virus. At the end of the month, Japan declared the border closure to continue into July, and [**added another 18 nations to the entry ban.**](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/06/29/national/japan-adds-17-nations-to-coronavirus-entry-ban/#.Xvn1iyhKiUk)
>**May 2020 Summary**
>[**The State of Emergency that began in April was extended in May**](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200504_01/) due to the strain presented on the medical system, even though daily infections were seeing a downturn. A mere 10 days later, [**it was revealed the SOE would be lifted in 39 prefectures**](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200514_17/), but remain in places like Tokyo, Hokkaido and Osaka to further alleviate concerns with the health care system. [**12 more countries were added to the Travel Ban list**](https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2020/05/0225fba263cd-japan-expands-entry-ban-to-mexico-12-other-countries.html) in the meantime. [**The SOE was later lifted for the areas still covered, such as Tokyo, Osaka and Hokkaido**](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200524_15/) after consultation with the COVID-19 panel. It was also revealed that [**if the Tokyo Olympics could not go on in 2021 due to COVID-19 spread, they would be cancelled outright,**](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200521_25/) although the IOC advised they are doing their best to plan for as many possible outcomes as they could. [**Kitakyushu, newly reopened, began to see a rise in the spread of infections**](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200528_21/) and immediately began closing attractions to curb the spread. The current round of closures is expected to last until at least June 18th. Finally, after widespread confusion, [**Japan quelled rumours it would pay for half of tourists’ expenses**](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/05/27/national/japan-wont-pay-half-visitors-expenses/#.XtCSwDpKiUk) as a poorly sourced article had indicated. This article was clarified in english to state that the credit would only apply to local, domestic tourism within the country – and as there is no indication the borders will reopen any time soon it is prudent to advise this will not apply to International tourists at all. As new cases begin to surface again in Tokyo, the Minister in charge of the virus response says there are [**no plans in place to revive the State Of Emergency for Tokyo or Kitakyushu.**](https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20200531/p2g/00m/0na/044000c)
>**April 2020 Summary**
>With the virus increasing in spread [**Japan began increasing travel restrictions into the country on April 3rd,**](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200401_35/) including Canada, the UK, Greece and most of Europe. As travel restrictions increased and flights were getting scarce, [**foreigners were given an automatic Visa Renewal of 3 months**](https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2020/04/504b65db2f19-foreigners-given-extra-3-months-to-renew-stay-due-to-coronavirus.html), no application necessary. A State of Emergency was declared, initially for only 7 prefectures, but it was then [**shifted nationwide on April 16th**](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200416_38/) further restricting movement to, from, and within the country. On April 29th, [**Japan added 14 more countries to the ban list**](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200427_14/), barring citizens or those who had traveled to many parts of Europe, Asia and the Caribbean.
>**March 2020 Summary**
>The reality of the pandemic spread began to set in worldwide and countries began issuing Travel Advisories to their citizens and urging them to return home immediately. 14 day quarantine on arrival for some countries was requested by officials, and towards the end of the month, Japan posted travel bans for citizens from China, Korea, the USA and parts of Europe that were already seeing a large increase in the spread of the virus. [**The Tokyo Olympics were postponed officially, with a re-start date of July 23rd, 2021 being selected.**](http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/13254665) Trains in Japan began to set slower schedules, due to the lack of tourists and locals traveling in order to curb the spread of the virus.
>**January 2020 Summary**
>**01/31** – The NHK has published an article reporting that JNTO has a phone number to call should tourists *currently in Japan* require assistance. We have reprinted the information below, and ask that you check the JNTO’s official website for any further information.
>”The Japan National Tourism Organization is offering phone consultation services for foreign tourists who are concerned about the new strain of coronavirus.”
>”The Japan Visitor Hotline offers 24-hour services in Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean. The hotline can refer callers who may be infected with the virus to the nearest medical institution. It also provides information on measures to prevent infection such as hand washing and gargling. The organization encourages foreign tourists to call if they have any concerns.”
>”The hotline number is 050-3816-2787.”
>Calling from Overseas? Use: +81-50-3816-2787