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]
Sep 27, 2021, 11:01 pm
#6046
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As I mentioned earlier, the details of measures going forward are going to be decided by the individual prefectures. Though I would guess that Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, and Saitama will be more or less on the same page, since you wouldn't want all sorts of people flooding across the prefectural border to a place with looser restrictions to start yet another wave of infections that gets out of control.
Sep 27, 2021, 11:19 pm
#6047
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I applaud Japan, as well as Sweden, Norway and to some extent Denmark, (and I'm sure there are others) for going their own way and experimenting with vaccine requirements and not succumbing to the "pants-on-fire" scaremongering going on in the US (and some other countries like Australia). The US is just one country, it's not the world, and is prone just like any other country to making mistakes and bad decisions, even those supposedly based on science. There's no need to march in lock-step with US policy.
https://japantoday.com/category/national/japan-to-experiment-with-proof-of-vaccination-at-big-sporting-events
Japan will conduct an experiment using proof of COVID-19 vaccination at professional baseball and soccer stadiums in preparation for easing capacity restrictions, a cabinet minister said Monday.
The experiment is expected to be conducted in October as Japan continues seeing a steady decline in newly reported coronavirus cases, according to top officials of Nippon Professional Baseball and soccer's J.League, who held a meeting with Yasutoshi Nishimura, minister in charge of the country's coronavirus response.
"We'd like to make further adjustments and conduct the experiment at an appropriate time," Nishimura said when holding discussions with NPB Secretary General Atsushi Ihara and J.League Chairman Mitsuru Murai.
Murai said the start of the experiment could be as early as Oct 1, while Ihara said NPB wants to get started by the end of next month.
Last edited by Q Shoe Guy; Sep 28, 2021 at 12:10 am
Sep 28, 2021, 1:14 am
#6048
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Tokyo will apparently restrict serving alcohol to the places that already have the Rainbow sign, and only allow it until 8pm or 9pm. So some restrictions to remain.
We can then all start guessing on how many places not having a rainbow sign currently will suddenly start upholding the rules, and stop serving the alcohol they serve now.
We can then all start guessing on how many places not having a rainbow sign currently will suddenly start upholding the rules, and stop serving the alcohol they serve now.
by the way, I know a guy who sells rainbow signs… haha
Sep 28, 2021, 1:16 am
#6049
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As I mentioned earlier, the details of measures going forward are going to be decided by the individual prefectures. Though I would guess that Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, and Saitama will be more or less on the same page, since you wouldn't want all sorts of people flooding across the prefectural border to a place with looser restrictions to start yet another wave of infections that gets out of control.
Wonder when they will announce the individual zone rules. As usual, I’m guessing it’s unspecified. That should be written on the gravestone for Japan - “Unspecified”. Lol.
Nobody take that the wrong way please, it’s a joke.
Sep 28, 2021, 1:20 am
#6050
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Tokyo will apparently restrict serving alcohol to the places that already have the Rainbow sign, and only allow it until 8pm or 9pm. So some restrictions to remain.
We can then all start guessing on how many places not having a rainbow sign currently will suddenly start upholding the rules, and stop serving the alcohol they serve now.
We can then all start guessing on how many places not having a rainbow sign currently will suddenly start upholding the rules, and stop serving the alcohol they serve now.
Sep 28, 2021, 1:24 am
#6051
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Sep 28, 2021, 2:33 am
#6052
Join Date: Sep 2009
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There's a checklist for each type of establishment. Stuff like disinfectant and body temperature monitors at the entrances, specified concentration for the disinfectant, stickers on the floor telling people where to stand, plexiglass all over the place, specification for the size and shape of the plexiglass, customers must wear masks when entering and leaving the store, change received at the cash register must be handed over in tray. Basically a lot of BS that has ZERO impact on transmission.
There is some stuff on ventilation (the only thing that actually does any good), but the requirements are not very specific in terms of hard numbers and it's self-regulated.
There is some stuff on ventilation (the only thing that actually does any good), but the requirements are not very specific in terms of hard numbers and it's self-regulated.
Sep 28, 2021, 4:51 am
#6053
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Some more detailed information on Tokyo's measures, running from October 1st to October 24th and dubbed the "Rebound Prevention Measures Period":
* Eateries and pubs that have received approval from Tokyo for their infection prevention measures will be tolerated to serve alcohol until 8pm, and food until 9pm.
* Establishments without approval are requested to close at 8pm and not serve alcohol.
* Users of these facilities should be limited to groups of four.
* Department stores, plays and movie theaters, and those running events are requested to end operations by 9pm.
* Event attendance restriction is raised to the lower of 10000 people or 50% of capacity (may be loosened further for events where loud voices and cheering do not take place)
* Recommendation to avoid crowds, and to support measures like shift work and telework
Not quite the free-for-all that others envisioned.
* Eateries and pubs that have received approval from Tokyo for their infection prevention measures will be tolerated to serve alcohol until 8pm, and food until 9pm.
* Establishments without approval are requested to close at 8pm and not serve alcohol.
* Users of these facilities should be limited to groups of four.
* Department stores, plays and movie theaters, and those running events are requested to end operations by 9pm.
* Event attendance restriction is raised to the lower of 10000 people or 50% of capacity (may be loosened further for events where loud voices and cheering do not take place)
* Recommendation to avoid crowds, and to support measures like shift work and telework
Not quite the free-for-all that others envisioned.
Sep 28, 2021, 6:02 am
#6054
Join Date: Jan 2017
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They will start testing vaccine passports in October for a late November roll-out. I would assume these would be both the card type and smart phone bar code type. This will just be another way that the government insures that an even larger percentage of the population is vaccinated.
Last edited by armagebedar; Sep 29, 2021 at 6:18 pm Reason: removed US derail
Sep 28, 2021, 8:37 am
#6055
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Join Date: May 1998
Location: Tokyo, Japan (or Vienna whenever possible)
Posts: 6,379
So vaccine passports are being accepted. Does this mean no more Pre-boarding PCR? If not, what exactly is the vaccine passport acceptance giving us the right to do that we do not have already? Surely not just t do away with the arrival test?
Sep 28, 2021, 10:37 am
#6056
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Neither pre boarding nor arrival tests seems to be going anywhere, based on the document published so far. Actually to get a shorter quarantine period it adds a test on day 10.
Sep 28, 2021, 10:45 am
#6057
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Join Date: May 1998
Location: Tokyo, Japan (or Vienna whenever possible)
Posts: 6,379
Sep 28, 2021, 4:27 pm
#6058
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And there has been discussions that should numbers rebound, it will be required for indoor dining and alcohol service. Though so far only in the discussion of possibilities. Other countries have used this as part of the re opening normal life with success.
Sep 28, 2021, 5:44 pm
#6059
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Trials start in October. I think it will be in use before the end of November (which will be after the general election)YMMV. Follows the pattern of the central government devolving the decision making about restrictions to the prefectural level , and then the prefectures devolving the decision to the local level. Problem is that many of the rural local governments are ill-equipped to make such decisions.
Sep 28, 2021, 6:42 pm
#6060
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So the official flow of entry as vaccinated traveller has been published, and the list of places you can have the day 10 test taken. The list is pretty long, but you will need to go to the test location, and not take public transport to get there.
Lists of the possible test centers for day 10 test
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakuni...nsa_00001.html
Lists of the possible test centers for day 10 test
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakuni...nsa_00001.html
Last edited by CPH-Flyer; Sep 28, 2021 at 6:48 pm