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 15, 2020, 8:07 am
#136
Join Date: Aug 2016
Programs: Avios
Posts: 438
67 new infections on the boat, giving us 285 total.
I'd be shocked if there are no new infections taking place since the quarantine started. There are probably new infections taking place every day, spread by infected passengers to crew, and by infected crew to passengers. I can't see how they can let these people off the boat on the 19th even if they do test negative.
I'd be shocked if there are no new infections taking place since the quarantine started. There are probably new infections taking place every day, spread by infected passengers to crew, and by infected crew to passengers. I can't see how they can let these people off the boat on the 19th even if they do test negative.
Feb 15, 2020, 8:25 am
#137
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: UA GS>1K>Nothing; DL DM 2MM; AS 75K>Nothing>MVP
Posts: 9,341
At some point, given the importance of the Olympics to Japan, do we perhaps start to question whether Japan is fully disclosing the situation? It's surprising and very disturbing that in a country with presumably a good and safe health care system, a number of medical professionals have been infected and have even apparently infected others. I might have expected infection controls to be much better in Japan (as opposed to China).
- SARS cases were relatively few in Japan
- The Japanese are probably the most sanitation/germ conscious race on the planet.
- Public health and medical treatment capabilities are maybe the best in Asia.
- There are a huge number of Chinese travelers to Japan.
- Excluding the ship, per capita cases in Japan are quite low compared to other Asian countries that have a lot of intercourse with China.
So maybe Japan is doing a pretty good job of handling it? That said, even excluding the ship, the number of cases (and new cases) seems quite worrisome and perhaps will be difficult to contain.
Feb 15, 2020, 8:33 am
#138
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Hilton, Hyatt House, Del Taco
Posts: 5,378
I’m starting to wonder myself.
This might be a costly year for me in terms of cancellation penalties and nonrefundable hotel costs.
I’m already out a couple thousand bucks after canceling our Feb trip. We’ve got 2 additional trips over there already booked and paid for between now and the Olympics. I guess I am learning some lessons here on nonrefindable bookings.
This might be a costly year for me in terms of cancellation penalties and nonrefundable hotel costs.
I’m already out a couple thousand bucks after canceling our Feb trip. We’ve got 2 additional trips over there already booked and paid for between now and the Olympics. I guess I am learning some lessons here on nonrefindable bookings.
Feb 15, 2020, 8:44 am
#139
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Hilton, Hyatt House, Del Taco
Posts: 5,378
this is now a crisis.
but flights from China still landing all over Jpn.
The hell are they thinking?
The flight I was supposed to take to CTS tomorrow lands 5min after Junerayo(spell?) flight from Shanghai. I’d have been at the immigration and carrousel together with all these people who have long been subject to quarantine in US.
but flights from China still landing all over Jpn.
The hell are they thinking?
The flight I was supposed to take to CTS tomorrow lands 5min after Junerayo(spell?) flight from Shanghai. I’d have been at the immigration and carrousel together with all these people who have long been subject to quarantine in US.
Feb 15, 2020, 8:44 am
#140
Join Date: Aug 2016
Programs: Avios
Posts: 438
I’m starting to wonder myself.
This might be a costly year for me in terms of cancellation penalties and nonrefundable hotel costs.
I’m already out a couple thousand bucks after canceling our Feb trip. We’ve got 2 additional trips over there already booked and paid for between now and the Olympics. I guess I am learning some lessons here on nonrefindable bookings.
This might be a costly year for me in terms of cancellation penalties and nonrefundable hotel costs.
I’m already out a couple thousand bucks after canceling our Feb trip. We’ve got 2 additional trips over there already booked and paid for between now and the Olympics. I guess I am learning some lessons here on nonrefindable bookings.
I would hold off cancelling anything for now,if things continue at the current pace you probably will be able to get your money back without any losses.It is many months away but if this is still going on 3-4 months from now some big decisions will be forced on Japan.
Feb 15, 2020, 8:48 am
#141
Join Date: Aug 2016
Programs: Avios
Posts: 438
this is now a crisis.
but flights from China still landing all over Jpn.
The hell are they thinking?
The flight I was supposed to take to CTS tomorrow lands 5min after Junerayo(spell?) flight from Shanghai. I’d have been at the immigration and carrousel together with all these people who have long been subject to quarantine in US.
but flights from China still landing all over Jpn.
The hell are they thinking?
The flight I was supposed to take to CTS tomorrow lands 5min after Junerayo(spell?) flight from Shanghai. I’d have been at the immigration and carrousel together with all these people who have long been subject to quarantine in US.
The decision to ban Chinese travel should have been taken long ago ,it might not have made any difference but we will never know now.
Feb 15, 2020, 8:49 am
#142
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Battleaxe Alliance
Posts: 22,127
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/202...287501000.html
I think it would be fair to say that it is quite universally accepted among those who know the situation that the current number of confirmed cases is extremely unlikely to represent the true number of cases, due to restrictions on testing that was in place until just a couple of days ago.
Even their Minister has admitted earlier today that contact tracing has become essentially impossible in some cases, i.e. a roundabout way of saying that it is not exactly under control.
Last edited by LTN Phobia; Feb 15, 2020 at 9:01 am
Feb 15, 2020, 9:17 am
#143
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: UA GS>1K>Nothing; DL DM 2MM; AS 75K>Nothing>MVP
Posts: 9,341
If you happen to be able to read Japanese, this article by NHK suggests rather otherwise. Some experts (some of whom have done work for the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) are expressing serious concerns about how it has been/being handled.
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/202...287501000.html
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/202...287501000.html
BTW - I don't doubt that the number of cases is much higher than what has actually been detected.
Feb 15, 2020, 10:33 am
#144
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Hilton, Hyatt House, Del Taco
Posts: 5,378
Feb 15, 2020, 10:43 am
#145
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Battleaxe Alliance
Posts: 22,127
Those recommendations are euphemistic way of criticising the policy, bearing in mind the testing policies were (and are) set by the government and they caused a delay in diagnosis, thus delaying the understanding of the true situation, followed by delayed response.
You generally avoid outright criticism of the government, especially when you sometimes act as a government contractor/adviser, especially in Japan (speaking from the experience of working with various governments, including Japan). At one of the recent press conferences, frustration of one of the experts was pretty palpable, even though he was avoiding criticising things outright.
I don't mind experts changing their views though - in fact I think it's a good thing in a developing situation. The available data on the virus from China has been quite difficult to reliably interpret, as well as being hard to verify. It would be more alarming if they maintained their position in light of new information coming out.
You generally avoid outright criticism of the government, especially when you sometimes act as a government contractor/adviser, especially in Japan (speaking from the experience of working with various governments, including Japan). At one of the recent press conferences, frustration of one of the experts was pretty palpable, even though he was avoiding criticising things outright.
I don't mind experts changing their views though - in fact I think it's a good thing in a developing situation. The available data on the virus from China has been quite difficult to reliably interpret, as well as being hard to verify. It would be more alarming if they maintained their position in light of new information coming out.
Last edited by LTN Phobia; Feb 15, 2020 at 10:57 am
Feb 15, 2020, 11:41 am
#146
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: DL PM, MR Titanium/LTP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,130
Just a week or so ago, I'd never imagined I'd consider cancelling my March & April Japan trips, but am certainly considering it now. While still taking a wait and see approach, I'm not sure I'd want to risk a quarantine just because anyone on board may be symptomatic, something which is utterly out of my control.
After all the influenza virus this year has been far more severe and is much more prevalent around the globe: "According to CDC, this year's flu season has led to at least 10 million medical visits and 210,000 hospitalizations...The data also shows that between 12,000 and 30,000 flu-related deaths occurred from Oct. 1, 2019, to Feb. 1."
But the risk of being quarantined because someone else on our flight is sick (even if it's just a common cold or another non-coronavirus illness) is my primary concern. Also ruins a vacation trip if you spend the whole time being worried (different story if it was a work trip).
Feb 15, 2020, 1:20 pm
#147
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: DL PM; IHG PlatAmb; Hilton Dia; Marriott Plat; Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 7,321
Feb 15, 2020, 4:22 pm
#149
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Battleaxe Alliance
Posts: 22,127
Mass transit can also be incredibly crowded. If I lived in one of the big Japanese cities, I'd probably be shifting my commute to less crowded hours and/or commuting via e-bike/scooter if possible. If only to avoid the flu and potential testing + quarantine while waiting for results.
On top of that, doctors I know over there are expressing concerns that about half of those visiting their general outpatient clinics are people with nothing more than a sniffle but worried about COVID-19, and saying that those people are exposing themselves to potentially infected people (be it the flu or the COVID-19) in the waiting room.
Feb 15, 2020, 5:49 pm
#150
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: Hyatt Discoverist, SEIBU PRINCE CLUB Silver, Marriott Gold
Posts: 20,436
America is offering voluntary evacuation tonight from the Diamond Princess for American citizens and their immediate family.
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/15/p...hip/index.html
If they choose to do this, they will have to undergo another 14 days of quarantine in the United States, i.e., into the beginning of March.
This is a stunning rebuke of Japan's quarantine policy.
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/15/p...hip/index.html
If they choose to do this, they will have to undergo another 14 days of quarantine in the United States, i.e., into the beginning of March.
This is a stunning rebuke of Japan's quarantine policy.