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]
#6092
Join Date: Aug 2021
Posts: 14
>> You are only allowed to post URLs to other sites and photos after you have made 5 posts or more. <<
I have looked at the 2 government pages about re-entry (cannot post links) But they are Border enforcement measures to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19)
- /ca/fna/page4e_001053.html (Border enforcement measures to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19)
- /ca/fna/page24e_000317.html (COVID-19 Vaccination Certificates Valid for Entry into Japan from Abroad)
But neither mention needing a PCR test within 72 hours of boarding flight back to Japan. Is this particular rule written somewhere else or is it no longer required, vaccinated fully or not?
I have looked at the 2 government pages about re-entry (cannot post links) But they are Border enforcement measures to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19)
- /ca/fna/page4e_001053.html (Border enforcement measures to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19)
- /ca/fna/page24e_000317.html (COVID-19 Vaccination Certificates Valid for Entry into Japan from Abroad)
But neither mention needing a PCR test within 72 hours of boarding flight back to Japan. Is this particular rule written somewhere else or is it no longer required, vaccinated fully or not?
#6093
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,171
>> You are only allowed to post URLs to other sites and photos after you have made 5 posts or more. <<
I have looked at the 2 government pages about re-entry (cannot post links) But they are Border enforcement measures to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19)
- /ca/fna/page4e_001053.html (Border enforcement measures to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19)
- /ca/fna/page24e_000317.html (COVID-19 Vaccination Certificates Valid for Entry into Japan from Abroad)
But neither mention needing a PCR test within 72 hours of boarding flight back to Japan. Is this particular rule written somewhere else or is it no longer required, vaccinated fully or not?
I have looked at the 2 government pages about re-entry (cannot post links) But they are Border enforcement measures to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19)
- /ca/fna/page4e_001053.html (Border enforcement measures to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19)
- /ca/fna/page24e_000317.html (COVID-19 Vaccination Certificates Valid for Entry into Japan from Abroad)
But neither mention needing a PCR test within 72 hours of boarding flight back to Japan. Is this particular rule written somewhere else or is it no longer required, vaccinated fully or not?
In point 3 section 1 in the above link
From March 19, 2021, all travelers including Japanese nationals have to submit a certificate of negative test result conducted within 72 hours prior to departing from the country/region where travelers stay when entering Japan. Those who do not submit a certificate of negative test result will be denied entry into Japan in accordance with the Quarantine Act. Airline companies will reject boarding those without one. Please consult with Embassies or Consulates or Consular Office of Japan in case it is truly difficult to obtain the certificate of negative test result.
Below is the link to the requirements for the certificate to be submitted
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakuni...431_00248.html
Last edited by CPH-Flyer; Oct 3, 2021 at 8:18 pm
#6094
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: BUR
Programs: AAdvantage, Delta SkyMiles
Posts: 650
I'm trying to skim read the posts to get this info as the FAQ doesn't really address it clearly. There is a great deal of parallels commentary also but I'm really just trying to figure out what's going on with a specific topic. "Japan does currently not allow entry for general tourism purposes." is what's written after "when border restrictions ease." in the FAQ. My question is, what's expected to change once "border restrictions ease?" and, moreover, based on what's being reported in the Japanese news media, is there any sense as to when (or how long after such restrictions ease), "general tourism entry" will be restored?
#6095
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: Hyatt Discoverist, SEIBU PRINCE CLUB Silver, Marriott Gold
Posts: 20,436
I'm trying to skim read the posts to get this info as the FAQ doesn't really address it clearly. There is a great deal of parallels commentary also but I'm really just trying to figure out what's going on with a specific topic. "Japan does currently not allow entry for general tourism purposes." is what's written after "when border restrictions ease." in the FAQ. My question is, what's expected to change once "border restrictions ease?" and, moreover, based on what's being reported in the Japanese news media, is there any sense as to when (or how long after such restrictions ease), "general tourism entry" will be restored?
#6096
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,171
I'm trying to skim read the posts to get this info as the FAQ doesn't really address it clearly. There is a great deal of parallels commentary also but I'm really just trying to figure out what's going on with a specific topic. "Japan does currently not allow entry for general tourism purposes." is what's written after "when border restrictions ease." in the FAQ. My question is, what's expected to change once "border restrictions ease?" and, moreover, based on what's being reported in the Japanese news media, is there any sense as to when (or how long after such restrictions ease), "general tourism entry" will be restored?
I am sure there are other views on this, so I'll open the floor to the other regulars in the thread to hypothesize and to shoot my hypothesis down.
#6097
Join Date: Aug 2021
Posts: 14
I am all but blind, incompotent, or both! And it's mentioned at the bottom under section 7 too. Thanks for the pointer.
#6098
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: BUR
Programs: AAdvantage, Delta SkyMiles
Posts: 650
Japan is in the middle of changing prime ministers and the Cabinet, and then is about to have a national election that will likely shape how things like that will be handled going forward. So I'm afraid it will take a little more time before we get a concrete answer to those questions.
Thanks again for the insightful and concise response. I appreciate it.
#6099
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: Hyatt Discoverist, SEIBU PRINCE CLUB Silver, Marriott Gold
Posts: 20,436
All prefectures reporting under 100 new cases today, for the first time in a very, very long time.
#6100
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: UA GS>1K>Nothing; DL DM 2MM; AS 75K>Nothing>MVP
Posts: 9,341
602 new cases in Japan today. Record low for the year.
#6102
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: UA GS>1K>Nothing; DL DM 2MM; AS 75K>Nothing>MVP
Posts: 9,341
The number of daily vaccinations is dropping a little, but as a percentage of the remaining un-vaccinated population, the daily vax rate is holding . And since transmission declines lag actual vaxes there's probably 3 to 4 weeks of momentum from vaccines already administered or already scheduled that will continue to push transmission down even if the vax rate goes to zero tomorrow.
The big question is how much increase there will be in restaurant and bar traffic since these are the places most likely to have poor ventilation and spawn transmission. Offsetting this somewhat is the fact that the age cohort patronizing these places is the same cohort currently receiving most of the vaccinations so that the vax rate for this susceptible age group is rapidly increasing.
My guess is that current decline in transmissions will taper a bit from the current weekly drops of 40 to 50% to something like weekly declines in the 20 to 30% range.
#6103
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: Hyatt Discoverist, SEIBU PRINCE CLUB Silver, Marriott Gold
Posts: 20,436
What's really amazing is that the big drop occurred pretty much everywhere at pretty much the same time, within a couple of weeks at most. From Hokkaido to Okinawa, not a pocket of increasing infection to be found, not even in the elementary schools.
The end game has been wrongly called many times, but this really feels like we're almost there.
The end game has been wrongly called many times, but this really feels like we're almost there.
#6104
Join Date: Aug 2016
Programs: Avios
Posts: 438
The easing of restrictions that it refers to is quite a while back by now. Maybe it is time for a rewording of the FAQ on that point. We even had a tightening after that easing, and a new easing more recently for vaccinated citizens and residents. There are no hints as to when more general tourism will reopen. I guess the first one to look for is the re-opening of what is called the "business track", and easing of the restrictions around business travel. If numbers still stay low, then there will probably be a visitors' track coming. My best guess is vaccinated travelers from select countries some time past the 2022 cherry blossom season. But it would really depend on how Japan fares through the autumn and winter.
I am sure there are other views on this, so I'll open the floor to the other regulars in the thread to hypothesize and to shoot my hypothesis down.
I am sure there are other views on this, so I'll open the floor to the other regulars in the thread to hypothesize and to shoot my hypothesis down.
I am guessing business travel allowed in December 2021 and general tourism Feb or March at latest. All visitors will have to be fully vaccinated.
Last edited by Tilto007; Oct 4, 2021 at 5:33 am Reason: grammar
#6105
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Boston, Jo'burg, HK
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Lifetime Diamond, CX Gold, Mrs. Pickles travels for free
Posts: 13,162