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]
Aug 24, 2020, 9:29 pm
#2341
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: TYO
Programs: Tokyo Monorail Diamond-Encrusted-Platinum
Posts: 9,648
Oh ... and I expect that there will continue to be a risk that the rules are subject to change at short notice for quite some time. Just as the British tourists in France were recently surprised by a sudden decision to impose a quarantine on their return.
If a country has an uptick in cases, I expect other countries will take it off their list of countries that are approved for quarantine-free travel. So the kind of globe trotting that we used to do - with stops in half a dozen countries within a week or two - will be all but impossible to guarantee for some time, I think.
If a country has an uptick in cases, I expect other countries will take it off their list of countries that are approved for quarantine-free travel. So the kind of globe trotting that we used to do - with stops in half a dozen countries within a week or two - will be all but impossible to guarantee for some time, I think.
Aug 25, 2020, 6:22 am
#2342
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Beantown! (BOS)
Programs: AA PtPro (2 MM); Hilton Diamond; Hertz President Cr; DL SkyMiles; UA MileagePlus
Posts: 3,441
Meanwhile, ANA and JAL have finalized their September domestic schedule. ANA and JAL will operate about 55% of scheduled domestic flights on September, where currently on August ANA and JAL are operating about 75% of scheduled domestic flights.
During month of May ANA and JAL operated only about 20% of scheduled domestic flight, and many of flights were operated by smaller aircraft. For example JAL operates HND-ITM with 777 and 767 but JAL has operated HND-ITM by J-Air's E190. ANA has switched some domestic flights from 737/A320/A321 to ANA Wings' DHC8-Q400.
As Japanese government lifted request of refraining domestic travel, both ANA and JAL have anticipated gradual increase of domestic travel toward summer. However, during Obon (annual mass migration to ancestry land) ANA and JAL only had 30% load factor on their domestic flights. Shinkansen experienced less than 20% of passenger load compare with Obon 2019.
With cases on COVID-19 on increase again and people in Japan are refraining from travel domestically again, ANA and JAL have decided to reduce number of domestic flights on September.
During month of May ANA and JAL operated only about 20% of scheduled domestic flight, and many of flights were operated by smaller aircraft. For example JAL operates HND-ITM with 777 and 767 but JAL has operated HND-ITM by J-Air's E190. ANA has switched some domestic flights from 737/A320/A321 to ANA Wings' DHC8-Q400.
As Japanese government lifted request of refraining domestic travel, both ANA and JAL have anticipated gradual increase of domestic travel toward summer. However, during Obon (annual mass migration to ancestry land) ANA and JAL only had 30% load factor on their domestic flights. Shinkansen experienced less than 20% of passenger load compare with Obon 2019.
With cases on COVID-19 on increase again and people in Japan are refraining from travel domestically again, ANA and JAL have decided to reduce number of domestic flights on September.
Aug 26, 2020, 5:24 pm
#2343
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: SF, Japan, YYG
Programs: ANA Pt
Posts: 399
I expect quarantine free travel will start to be possible again in the next 12 months, assuming certain conditions (such as the following) are met:
- There is an approved vaccine by early next year
- Japan vaccinates or otherwise protects its most vulnerable people (e.g. elderly, people with underlying conditions, and carers for those people)
- Japan vaccinates the most frequently exposed people (healthcare workers, essential / key workers, immigration staff, bar hosts and hostesses etc.)
- Cheap, self-administered tests with reasonable accuracy and instant results are used to control entry to places where people gather (e.g. bars, offices, schools etc.)
- Prevalence of the virus is low in the country that the traveler has been to in the previous 14 days
- Traveler has an acceptable vaccination certificate or other proof of immunity
Aug 26, 2020, 10:49 pm
#2344
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: UA GS>1K>Nothing; DL DM 2MM; AS 75K>Nothing>MVP
Posts: 9,341
I think the question was whether non-quarantining travel will be allowed within 12 months. I don't think anyone expects the conditions to be in place much sooner than 12 months so for most of the next 12 months, you are probably correct. Also I think the 14 day period is more of a linguistic than a medical requirement so I suspect we might see the 14 days shortened to 4 or 5 days somewhat sooner.
Aug 26, 2020, 11:01 pm
#2345
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: California
Programs: AA EXP; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite
Posts: 1,971
I think the question was whether non-quarantining travel will be allowed within 12 months. I don't think anyone expects the conditions to be in place much sooner than 12 months so for most of the next 12 months, you are probably correct. Also I think the 14 day period is more of a linguistic than a medical requirement so I suspect we might see the 14 days shortened to 4 or 5 days somewhat sooner.
Aug 27, 2020, 4:41 am
#2346
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: TYO
Programs: Tokyo Monorail Diamond-Encrusted-Platinum
Posts: 9,648
-
- Dec 2020 - Spread of cheap, quick, easily administered tests. The first use cases might be among hospital staff, later spreading to office employees etc..
- Jan 2021 - First vaccine(s) approved. Start of mass production. Initially all production will be taken by the US and / or countries that produce the vaccine.
- Jan 2021 - International certification established (perhaps similar to the existing Yellow Fever vaccination books)
- Feb 2021 - Widespread testing with cheap, quick, easy tests reduces the number of active cases in Japan to <100
- Mar 2021 - Japan's vaccination program gets underway with a target to vaccinate 10% of the population by May, starting with high priority people
- April 2021 - Olympics formally cancelled
- May 2021 - As an alternative to 14-day quarantine, Japan introduces an option to undergo a shorter quarantine and then a period of daily testing and monitoring
- June 2021 - Immigration allows non-quarantine travel to some people *(conditional on vaccination certificate, travel history, and test results).
- Aug 2021 - Japan's vaccination program extends to 30% of the population. Everyone over 60 who wants it has been vaccinated.
- Dec 2021 - Testing / monitoring relaxed for vaccinated people with low risk travel history
- Mar 2022 - Japan's vaccination program extends to 70 to 80% of the population. Herd immunity established.
- Apr 2022 - Quarantine / Testing eliminated except for people who travel from high risk countries / regions
- Jun 2025 - Evergrn gets partial refund for his olympic tickets
Last edited by jib71; Aug 27, 2020 at 4:47 am
Aug 28, 2020, 12:11 am
#2347
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Kanagawa
Programs: JAL Global Club, ANA Super Flyers
Posts: 240
Well that's one way to shake up a dull Friday afternoon. Abe is apparently resigning due to health issues. Conference tonight in 2 hours.
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/20...zo-abe-resign/
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/20...zo-abe-resign/
Aug 28, 2020, 4:52 am
#2348
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Tokyo, Japan (or Vienna whenever possible)
Posts: 6,379
Another way is to announce it from September legal residents of Japan can go in and out without restriction but are subject to a PCR test upon arrival and 14 day quarantine just as the Japanese are. The additional conditions are that those residents will need to have a PCR test within 72 hours of departing from their point of origin back to Japan. And then finally there’s the need to pre-register with what is now called the Immigration Services Agency which used to be called the Immigration bureau and there’s apparently going to be someway to register so that the government can know who is likely to be coming back in. There is no link live on their website at the moment so I suspect that will come out on Monday and this was just a announcement they probably would habe liked to wait until Monday to make.
Aug 29, 2020, 1:06 am
#2349
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Hilton, Hyatt House, Del Taco
Posts: 5,381
- May 2021 - As an alternative to 14-day quarantine, Japan introduces an option to undergo a shorter quarantine and then a period of daily testing and monitoring
- June 2021 - Immigration allows non-quarantine travel to some people *(conditional on vaccination certificate, travel history, and test results).
Nice, I should still be alive to see the refund then.
Aug 29, 2020, 1:36 am
#2350
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,235
The ban on re entry for long term residents is being lifted by September 1st, based on added capacity for testing in the airports.
Foreigners returning to Japan will need a negative Covid-19 test within 72 hours before boarding. And I guess still another test on arrival. But still good news.
https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2...ept-1-abe.html
Foreigners returning to Japan will need a negative Covid-19 test within 72 hours before boarding. And I guess still another test on arrival. But still good news.
https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2...ept-1-abe.html
Aug 29, 2020, 3:35 am
#2351
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: 1A
Programs: UA GS, NH Diamond, Hyatt Lifetime Globalist (formerly Courtesy Card sadly), Amanjunkie, CLEAR
Posts: 3,713
The ban on re entry for long term residents is being lifted by September 1st, based on added capacity for testing in the airports.
Foreigners returning to Japan will need a negative Covid-19 test within 72 hours before boarding. And I guess still another test on arrival. But still good news.
https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2...ept-1-abe.html
Foreigners returning to Japan will need a negative Covid-19 test within 72 hours before boarding. And I guess still another test on arrival. But still good news.
https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2...ept-1-abe.html
Does anyone know the requirements for proving your negative test results for the pre departure test in your country of origin? E.g. if something somehow certified is required or if a print out of an online test result from your clinic or hospital’s app is accepted?
Since the test is required to have negative results AND be administered within 72 hours of departure to return to Japan, this will exclude many public testing facilities in California...
I would imagine fraudulent / fake test result print outs will be rampant so I hope they have requirements for somehow certifying the information. Wish the airlines had similar requirements for boarding. Would make things far safer.
Aug 29, 2020, 3:44 am
#2352
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: 1A
Programs: UA GS, NH Diamond, Hyatt Lifetime Globalist (formerly Courtesy Card sadly), Amanjunkie, CLEAR
Posts: 3,713
Additional details on the 9/1/2020 policy change:
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/20...esidents-free/
This article says:
No resident will require special circumstances to be granted permission to re-enter the country but those who are planning to re-enter will need to contact the Immigration Services Agency before their departure from Japan. Such requests will be accepted online.
If anyone has any information on how to do this, please share it here. My cursory review of their EXTREMELY CONFUSING English website yielded no results (yet).
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/20...esidents-free/
This article says:
No resident will require special circumstances to be granted permission to re-enter the country but those who are planning to re-enter will need to contact the Immigration Services Agency before their departure from Japan. Such requests will be accepted online.
If anyone has any information on how to do this, please share it here. My cursory review of their EXTREMELY CONFUSING English website yielded no results (yet).
Aug 29, 2020, 6:40 am
#2353
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,235
I guess the immigration office still need to get the website to record the intention to leave up and running. Guess we might only see that the day the rules kick in.
Aug 29, 2020, 9:17 am
#2354
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: 1A
Programs: UA GS, NH Diamond, Hyatt Lifetime Globalist (formerly Courtesy Card sadly), Amanjunkie, CLEAR
Posts: 3,713
Pity for those flying that same day. Following the rules but not being able to follow the rules. So very Japan.
Aug 29, 2020, 10:44 am
#2355
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: TYO
Programs: Tokyo Monorail Diamond-Encrusted-Platinum
Posts: 9,648
It depends largely on how good and cheap the tests are. If companies can produce adequately accurate lateral flow tests for tens of cents rather than dollars each, then I think that large sections of society will get used to daily testing as a way of life for a year or two.