Mar 5, 2020, 5:17 pm
Last edit by: CPH-Flyer
This thread is for discussion of the coronavirus / COVID-19 pandemic as it relates to Japan. Non-Japan-related discussion should be taken either to the most relevant forum, the Coronavirus and Travel forum, or the OMNI forums.
UPDATE FOR TOURISTS LOOKING TO VISIT JAPAN AFTER COVID-19 BORDER RESTRICTIONS EASE
Japan does currently not allow entry for general tourism purposes. Most visa waivers are suspended, and travel to Japan for non resident foreigners generally require a visa. And quarantine as described for the countries and territories below.
UPDATE FOR PEOPLE WITH VISAS THAT ALLOW ENTRY INTO JAPAN
The quarantine requirements mentioned below will generally apply to entrants in Japan. As the conditions of who can obtain a visa for entry on exceptional circumstances are not clearly listed anywhere, it is necessary to confirm entry requirements with your local Japanese diplomatic representatives
Spouses and children of foreign permanent residents or Japanese nationals, can obtain visas for short term stays (up to 90 days) by applying in person or by mail at an overseas Japanese consulate. Required documentation includes application form, letter with reason for purpose of visit, bank statement and Koseki Tohon. Processing times have been reported as on the spot to up to one week.
From March 1st, business travelers, students and technical trainees can again enter Japan. There is a need to have a receiving organisation to apply for the visa. For business travelers, there will be one point of contact with the Ministry of Health Labour and Welfare. Though the full details are not published yet (as of typing on the 27th of February, please add them if you have seen them)
Business travelers must have a Japanese company or organization apply for a Certificate for Completion of Registration to the MHLW ERFS system. This is a two step process. The company must first register and then apply for the Certificate for the traveler. These can both be done online and completed in less than an hour.The website for doing this is https://entry.hco.mhlw.go.jp/.
After getting the certificate the traveler must apply for visa at the Japanese Consulate or Embassy with jurisdiction for where they reside. (They are quite strict about this. E.g. you can't apply while traveling in a foreign country.) The information on the Consulate pages state that you need Letter of Guarantee, Invitation Letter, etc when applying for the visa. In fact, however, if you have the EFRS certificate, all you need is the visa application, your passport and a photo. The Consulate will issue the visa within 5 days.
UPDATE JAPANESE CITIZENS AND RETURNING FOREIGN JAPAN RESIDENTS
All people travelling to Japan has to present a negative PCR test taking no earlier than. 72 hours before departure to be able to board the flight. The certificate has to meet the information requirements and test types from the Japanese government.
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/000799426.pdf
From the 7th of June, passport number, nationality, signature and stamp from the doctor/medical institution are no longer required.
The requirement for pre-departure test will be removed for passengers on flights landing after the 7th of September 00:00 provided that they have received a full bases vaccination and a booster vaccination. Accepted vaccines are Moderna, Pfizer, Astra, Zeneca, J&J, Novavax, Covaxin.
Uploading documents in advance via the mysos app or via the mysos website is required. For details please see https://www.hco.mhlw.go.jp/en/
The arrival process is as follows. Countries will be grouped in red, yellow, and blue.
Red countries:
Albania, Sierra Leone
Yellow countries:
Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Botswana, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Cook Island, Cuba, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Kosovo, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Macau, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Namibia, Nauru, Nicaragua, Niger, Niue, North Korea, North Macedonia, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Portugal, Republic of Burundi, Republic of Congo, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Republic of Vanuatu, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Solomon, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vatican, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zimbabwe
Blue countries:
Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentine, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cote d’lvoire, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyz, Laos, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Sudan, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Western Sahara, Zambia
For updates to the lists of countries and territories and changes to the rules check the website of the ministry of foreign affairs https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/page4e_001053.html and ask in the thread for clarifications and experiences of entering Japan.
UPDATE FOR TOURISTS LOOKING TO VISIT JAPAN AFTER COVID-19 BORDER RESTRICTIONS EASE
Japan does currently not allow entry for general tourism purposes. Most visa waivers are suspended, and travel to Japan for non resident foreigners generally require a visa. And quarantine as described for the countries and territories below.
UPDATE FOR PEOPLE WITH VISAS THAT ALLOW ENTRY INTO JAPAN
The quarantine requirements mentioned below will generally apply to entrants in Japan. As the conditions of who can obtain a visa for entry on exceptional circumstances are not clearly listed anywhere, it is necessary to confirm entry requirements with your local Japanese diplomatic representatives
Spouses and children of foreign permanent residents or Japanese nationals, can obtain visas for short term stays (up to 90 days) by applying in person or by mail at an overseas Japanese consulate. Required documentation includes application form, letter with reason for purpose of visit, bank statement and Koseki Tohon. Processing times have been reported as on the spot to up to one week.
From March 1st, business travelers, students and technical trainees can again enter Japan. There is a need to have a receiving organisation to apply for the visa. For business travelers, there will be one point of contact with the Ministry of Health Labour and Welfare. Though the full details are not published yet (as of typing on the 27th of February, please add them if you have seen them)
Business travelers must have a Japanese company or organization apply for a Certificate for Completion of Registration to the MHLW ERFS system. This is a two step process. The company must first register and then apply for the Certificate for the traveler. These can both be done online and completed in less than an hour.The website for doing this is https://entry.hco.mhlw.go.jp/.
After getting the certificate the traveler must apply for visa at the Japanese Consulate or Embassy with jurisdiction for where they reside. (They are quite strict about this. E.g. you can't apply while traveling in a foreign country.) The information on the Consulate pages state that you need Letter of Guarantee, Invitation Letter, etc when applying for the visa. In fact, however, if you have the EFRS certificate, all you need is the visa application, your passport and a photo. The Consulate will issue the visa within 5 days.
UPDATE JAPANESE CITIZENS AND RETURNING FOREIGN JAPAN RESIDENTS
All people travelling to Japan has to present a negative PCR test taking no earlier than. 72 hours before departure to be able to board the flight. The certificate has to meet the information requirements and test types from the Japanese government.
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/000799426.pdf
From the 7th of June, passport number, nationality, signature and stamp from the doctor/medical institution are no longer required.
The requirement for pre-departure test will be removed for passengers on flights landing after the 7th of September 00:00 provided that they have received a full bases vaccination and a booster vaccination. Accepted vaccines are Moderna, Pfizer, Astra, Zeneca, J&J, Novavax, Covaxin.
Uploading documents in advance via the mysos app or via the mysos website is required. For details please see https://www.hco.mhlw.go.jp/en/
The arrival process is as follows. Countries will be grouped in red, yellow, and blue.
- Group “Red”：On-arrival test is required. 3-day quarantine at a government-designated facility is required, however, those who obtain a valid vaccination certificate may have 5-day home quarantine (or 3-day home quarantine + negative result of a voluntary test) instead.
- Group “Yellow”：On-arrival test and 5-day home quarantine (or 3-day home quarantine + negative result of a voluntary test) are required, however, those who obtain a valid vaccination certificate are not required to have on-arrival test, home quarantine and other measures.
- Group “Blue”：Regardless of the vaccination status of the entrants/returnees, on-arrival test, home quarantine and other measures are not required.
Red countries:
Albania, Sierra Leone
Yellow countries:
Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Botswana, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Cook Island, Cuba, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Kosovo, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Macau, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Namibia, Nauru, Nicaragua, Niger, Niue, North Korea, North Macedonia, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Portugal, Republic of Burundi, Republic of Congo, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Republic of Vanuatu, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Solomon, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vatican, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zimbabwe
Blue countries:
Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentine, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cote d’lvoire, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyz, Laos, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Sudan, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Western Sahara, Zambia
For updates to the lists of countries and territories and changes to the rules check the website of the ministry of foreign affairs https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/page4e_001053.html and ask in the thread for clarifications and experiences of entering Japan.
Coronavirus impact in Japan [consolidated]
Feb 21, 2020, 5:02 am
#271
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 1
I’m currently in Tokyo doing some research for another month and hate to end my trip early. If a quarantine is established in any of the hotels, a huge increase in the number of cases or they close the libraries I’m using I’m going to go home. Am I missing any other criteria?
It’s hard to say that the ministry of health here has covered themselves in glory with the Diamond Princess but also the fact that the hygiene here is exceptionally good and it’s still spreading is very concerning.
It’s hard to say that the ministry of health here has covered themselves in glory with the Diamond Princess but also the fact that the hygiene here is exceptionally good and it’s still spreading is very concerning.
Feb 21, 2020, 11:07 am
#272
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: EMA (how boring) but BHX is more convenient.
Posts: 2,368
Has anyone got any info on how easy it is to buy masks on arrival in Tokyo?
Feb 21, 2020, 11:50 am
#273
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hawai'i Nei
Programs: Au: UA, Marriott, Hilton; GE
Posts: 7,141
Feb 21, 2020, 12:33 pm
#274
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,413
Feb 21, 2020, 12:45 pm
#275
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hawai'i Nei
Programs: Au: UA, Marriott, Hilton; GE
Posts: 7,141
Edit: Can't say this is true for all hotels, but it was true for the two high-end hotels where we stayed.
Feb 21, 2020, 3:22 pm
#276
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London
Posts: 18,404
The controversial Diamond Princess pax Matthew Smith did what he said he would do and took a taxi into Tokyo to continue his "vacation." He is undoubtedly staying in a hotel: I would guess one of the large American chain hotels. Dozens (hundreds?) of other Diamond Princess pax are likely to do the same. Is this risky to other guests? The US government seems to think so. I think so. What happens when one of these guests get "the symptoms"? Japan will have to get lucky for this not to happen.
Alternatively, one can go along to that hotel now and try your own luck, there’s an argument for becoming exposed sooner rather than later.
(Have sent this guy’s twitter feed, the food photos make it clear where he is - at least they do to me)
Feb 21, 2020, 3:26 pm
#277
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Smyrna, GA, USA
Programs: DL FO 1MM
Posts: 1,761
Feb 21, 2020, 4:16 pm
#278
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: LAX
Posts: 10,909
I saw someones post about smth he saw on someones computer is pretty much the definition of spreading rumors. We should not do that here.
Feb 21, 2020, 4:59 pm
#279
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: YEG
Programs: Table scraps from Aeroplan and AmEx Plat
Posts: 899
You're free to discount it for whatever elements of a rumour you may perceive in it, and the people running this here outfit have the right to edit and delete comments, I've got no quarrel with any of that.
Feb 21, 2020, 6:29 pm
#280
Moderator, All Nippon Airways and Japan
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: TYO
Programs: NH SFC (*G), JL JGP (OWE), AS MVP, WOH E, IHG SE
Posts: 3,908
OP of the quoted text here. The mod on that board deleted the post for the same reason - spreading rumours. Whatever. From my perspective it's firsthand information, from a rock-solid source, that happens to be consistent with what's already publicly known.
You're free to discount it for whatever elements of a rumour you may perceive in it, and the people running this here outfit have the right to edit and delete comments, I've got no quarrel with any of that.
You're free to discount it for whatever elements of a rumour you may perceive in it, and the people running this here outfit have the right to edit and delete comments, I've got no quarrel with any of that.
Regards,
armagebedar
Japan forum moderator
Feb 21, 2020, 6:56 pm
#281
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: Hyatt Discoverist, SEIBU PRINCE CLUB Silver, Marriott Gold
Posts: 20,435
Not getting the virus is best. Second best is debatable. If you're going to have major complications, then it's certainly better to do so when the hospitals aren't yet flooded with the infected. But they are also investigating the heck out of these early cases, and they may bring to light something that you'd want to remain hidden...
Feb 21, 2020, 7:09 pm
#282
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Hilton, Hyatt House, Del Taco
Posts: 5,378
Sigh, that's not true. A watch is not a warning. Literally every country has been at level 1 since January 3. Due to measles. And Japan has been at level 2 since January 3. Due to Rubella. So yes, the CDC added something about Coronavirus to it's "practice usual precautions" "watch", but that hardly indicates the sky is falling.
Indeed, the watch explicitly says:
"At this time, CDC does not recommend canceling or postponing travel to Japan." (Emphasis in original)
Indeed, the watch explicitly says:
"At this time, CDC does not recommend canceling or postponing travel to Japan." (Emphasis in original)
The fact that Jpn is on the list of only 3 countries CDC cautions us about is not without meaning.
You can try to downplay it all you want, and some will agree with you. But based on all the info out there and the actions taken by some countries, I think it's justifiable for people to be concerned about traveling to Jpn.
Feb 21, 2020, 7:14 pm
#283
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: HIJ
Posts: 260
I was in a taxi earlier this morning in Hiroshima, the driver pulled out a box of masks and offered me one. Strangely enough, he wasn’t wearing one.
Feb 21, 2020, 8:15 pm
#285
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,304
So sad the Abel's have pneumonia and have been moved to another hospital where the care seems much inferior.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCKXv1FeYk0
If you are going it might be a good idea to bring hand sanitizer, too. Might also be appreciated if you bring more masks as omiyage, if your area still has a supply, for those with friends and family having a hard time getting a supply.
ETA: Might also be good to setup skype/google voice + credit as the coronavirus hotlines are phone numbers and not LINE/WhatsApp/iMessage ids. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200219_29/ https://www.japan.travel/en/news/coronavirus Most tourists sims in Japan are data only and do not have a voice component.
ETA 2: Japanese business hotels usually stock liquid hand soap & body wash and not solid soap bars. Bring your own if you like solid soap.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCKXv1FeYk0
If you are going it might be a good idea to bring hand sanitizer, too. Might also be appreciated if you bring more masks as omiyage, if your area still has a supply, for those with friends and family having a hard time getting a supply.
ETA: Might also be good to setup skype/google voice + credit as the coronavirus hotlines are phone numbers and not LINE/WhatsApp/iMessage ids. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200219_29/ https://www.japan.travel/en/news/coronavirus Most tourists sims in Japan are data only and do not have a voice component.
ETA 2: Japanese business hotels usually stock liquid hand soap & body wash and not solid soap bars. Bring your own if you like solid soap.
Last edited by freecia; Feb 22, 2020 at 10:00 pm