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]
#1501
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Thanks for the Memories !!!
Posts: 10,656
All 1727 rooms of the Shinagawa Prince Hotel will be reserved for COVID-19 patients exhibiting light or no symptoms.
https://www.princehotels.co.jp/file.jsp?id=314324
https://www.princehotels.co.jp/file.jsp?id=314324
【開 設 日】 2020年4月17日(金)
※品川プリンスホテルはメインタワー(1,727 室)、アネックスタワー(657 室)、N タワー(257 室)、 イーストタワー(919 室)の独立した四棟からなるホテルです。
※品川プリンスホテルは 2020 年 4 月 2 日より、N タワー、イーストタワーの営業を休業し、メイ ンタワー、アネックスタワーに営業集約しております。よって、4 月 17 日からはメインタワー (一般営業)、アネックスタワー(一般営業)、N タワー(営業集約による臨時休業)、イーストタワ ー(貸し切りでの軽症者等受け入れ)という営業内容になります。 メインタワー (一般営業)アネックスタワー (一般営業) 受け入れを行うイーストタワーと 一般営業を行うメインタワーを つなぐ連絡通路は防火シャッター を閉め、厳重に閉鎖いたします。
All 1727 rooms of the Shinagawa Prince Hotel will be reserved for COVID-19 patients exhibiting light or no symptoms.
https://www.princehotels.co.jp/file.jsp?id=314324
https://www.princehotels.co.jp/file.jsp?id=314324
Do you understand the term一般営業 ?
Last edited by armagebedar; Apr 19, 2020 at 6:07 pm
#1502
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: UA GS>1K>Nothing; DL DM 2MM; AS 75K>Nothing>MVP
Posts: 9,341
How much money is spent on healthcare is not indicative of the level of quality or emphasis on healthcare, as many people in USA criticize healthcare here for being overly saddled with administrative costs and cost-inefficient relative to outcome in comparison with Europe.
Marginal output (improvement in outcome) per dollar spent goes down the more you're spending. This is true of most things... not just medical care. U.S. overspends on medical care. Japan underspends. Same issue with Covid. Japan underspends.
#1503
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: Hyatt Discoverist, SEIBU PRINCE CLUB Silver, Marriott Gold
Posts: 20,431
You need to read the press release more clearly ! 【対象ホテル】 イーストタワー(品川プリンスホテル:東京都港区高輪 4-10-30) 【客 室 数】 919 室(全室シングルルーム)
【開 設 日】 2020年4月17日(金)
※品川プリンスホテルはメインタワー(1,727 室)、アネックスタワー(657 室)、N タワー(257 室)、 イーストタワー(919 室)の独立した四棟からなるホテルです。
※品川プリンスホテルは 2020 年 4 月 2 日より、N タワー、イーストタワーの営業を休業し、メイ ンタワー、アネックスタワーに営業集約しております。よって、4 月 17 日からはメインタワー (一般営業)、アネックスタワー(一般営業)、N タワー(営業集約による臨時休業)、イーストタワ ー(貸し切りでの軽症者等受け入れ)という営業内容になります。 メインタワー (一般営業)アネックスタワー (一般営業) 受け入れを行うイーストタワーと 一般営業を行うメインタワーを つなぐ連絡通路は防火シャッター を閉め、厳重に閉鎖いたします。
【開 設 日】 2020年4月17日(金)
※品川プリンスホテルはメインタワー(1,727 室)、アネックスタワー(657 室)、N タワー(257 室)、 イーストタワー(919 室)の独立した四棟からなるホテルです。
※品川プリンスホテルは 2020 年 4 月 2 日より、N タワー、イーストタワーの営業を休業し、メイ ンタワー、アネックスタワーに営業集約しております。よって、4 月 17 日からはメインタワー (一般営業)、アネックスタワー(一般営業)、N タワー(営業集約による臨時休業)、イーストタワ ー(貸し切りでの軽症者等受け入れ)という営業内容になります。 メインタワー (一般営業)アネックスタワー (一般営業) 受け入れを行うイーストタワーと 一般営業を行うメインタワーを つなぐ連絡通路は防火シャッター を閉め、厳重に閉鎖いたします。
To make up for that, here is the English press release:
https://www.princehotels.com/shinaga...6_notice-2.pdf
To all guests
On the Acceptance of COVID-19 Patients with Mild Infections
Thank you very much for your continued patronage of Shinagawa Prince Hotel.
In response to the request of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, we have decided
to provide the East Tower to patients with mild cases of COVID-19.
In consultation with the concerned parties, we will give the utmost consideration to
hygiene management under the guidance of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and
medical professionals.
As the East Tower is a separate building, completely independent from our other
buildings, it will be operated as a single building, so there will be no contact between
guests using other buildings (the Main Tower, Annex Tower or N Tower) and the
patients.
In addition, none of our employees will be involved in the operation of the facility.
By providing facilities at a time of national crisis like this, we, the hotel industry, will
continue to fulfill our role and responsibility as public institutions, and strive to help
bring an end to the spread of COVID-19 as soon as possible.
We thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Notice
【 B u i l d i n g】 East Tower
【Start Date】 Friday, April 17, 2020
※The connecting passageway between the East Tower, where patients will stay, and
the Main Tower, where everyday operations will be conducted, will be closed with
fire shutters.
On the Acceptance of COVID-19 Patients with Mild Infections
Thank you very much for your continued patronage of Shinagawa Prince Hotel.
In response to the request of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, we have decided
to provide the East Tower to patients with mild cases of COVID-19.
In consultation with the concerned parties, we will give the utmost consideration to
hygiene management under the guidance of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and
medical professionals.
As the East Tower is a separate building, completely independent from our other
buildings, it will be operated as a single building, so there will be no contact between
guests using other buildings (the Main Tower, Annex Tower or N Tower) and the
patients.
In addition, none of our employees will be involved in the operation of the facility.
By providing facilities at a time of national crisis like this, we, the hotel industry, will
continue to fulfill our role and responsibility as public institutions, and strive to help
bring an end to the spread of COVID-19 as soon as possible.
We thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Notice
【 B u i l d i n g】 East Tower
【Start Date】 Friday, April 17, 2020
※The connecting passageway between the East Tower, where patients will stay, and
the Main Tower, where everyday operations will be conducted, will be closed with
fire shutters.
#1504
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: TYO
Programs: Tokyo Monorail Diamond-Encrusted-Platinum
Posts: 9,623
#1505
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Tokyo, Japan (or Vienna whenever possible)
Posts: 6,378
#1506
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: UA GS>1K>Nothing; DL DM 2MM; AS 75K>Nothing>MVP
Posts: 9,341
201 today.
#1507
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: Hyatt Discoverist, SEIBU PRINCE CLUB Silver, Marriott Gold
Posts: 20,431
Here's what's waiting for you if you try to return to Japan now:
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/20...arita-airport/
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/20...arita-airport/
#1508
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Tokyo, Japan (or Vienna whenever possible)
Posts: 6,378
Here's what's waiting for you if you try to return to Japan now:
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/20...arita-airport/
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/20...arita-airport/
#1510
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: Hyatt Discoverist, SEIBU PRINCE CLUB Silver, Marriott Gold
Posts: 20,431
#1512
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Tokyo, Japan (or Vienna whenever possible)
Posts: 6,378
#1513
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: Hyatt Discoverist, SEIBU PRINCE CLUB Silver, Marriott Gold
Posts: 20,431
#1515
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: TYO
Programs: Tokyo Monorail Diamond-Encrusted-Platinum
Posts: 9,623
deleted
Last edited by jib71; Apr 17, 2020 at 5:28 am