In the mean time, all talk of border reopening has dropped out of the public discourse. I haven't seen anything on further loosening of restrictions since well before Abe was assassinated. The election was meant to be a opportunity for a change In policy. However the Abe assassination, surge in COVID cases and now the emperor emeritus has heart failure; seems to have been a series of reason why now is not the right time. I'm starting to loose hope that a trip in January will be viable.