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]
Apr 14, 2022, 7:36 pm
#8281
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Kobe, Japan
Programs: Bonvoy Platinum, IHG Diamond, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 1,527
The Japan overtourism boom of the last few years has all been policy-driven: visa-free travel for more countries, marketing and promotion, more airports and flights to/from more places. It could also be shut down just as easily by requiring difficult to issue and expensive visas, dual foreign/local pricing, etc.
Apr 14, 2022, 8:01 pm
#8282
Join Date: Sep 2018
Programs: Alaska
Posts: 2,188
It depends. I think Japan can be much cheaper than Tibet if you are a conscientious budget traveler/backpacker. Japan can be done for as low as $30/day, Tibet maybe $100/day minimum.
The Chinese government controls access to Tibet and requires foreigners to go on pricey tour packages and have permits that are only available through approved travel agents.
Other countries, in a name of safety, restrict access as well.
Nepal has a permit system for trekking/mountaineering and restricts access/requires approved escorts to some areas, but generally pretty cheap unless you are climbing Everest.
Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia requires you to hire an approved guide (but they aren't expensive).
The Chinese government controls access to Tibet and requires foreigners to go on pricey tour packages and have permits that are only available through approved travel agents.
Other countries, in a name of safety, restrict access as well.
Nepal has a permit system for trekking/mountaineering and restricts access/requires approved escorts to some areas, but generally pretty cheap unless you are climbing Everest.
Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia requires you to hire an approved guide (but they aren't expensive).
If I am not wrong, Chinese not from the region are required to register, too.
Apr 14, 2022, 8:13 pm
#8283
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: Hyatt Discoverist, SEIBU PRINCE CLUB Silver, Marriott Gold
Posts: 20,432
Apr 14, 2022, 9:12 pm
#8284
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
Said green card lottery is VERY MUCH tied to money no matter what you have read. So perhaps that is the “fair way”. But just like the Mexican border, there are ways around it. The analogy being a business man going on a business trip to Japan whereby he spends an hour doing business and a week at tourism. Well maybe that’s not the best analogy but the point is, the American green card system is ultimately money based not random like they advertise it. I’ve had several family members go through the process and sponsored several myself as well. Money drives most things in life, like it or not. 
My thought on the issue with charging for tourist visas to Japan is the reciprocity issue with countries Japanese frequent like the US and France. Eventually it’ll cause issues for international tourism in other economies - probably not a huge impact - but reciprocity in visas is a real thing.
My thought on the issue with charging for tourist visas to Japan is the reciprocity issue with countries Japanese frequent like the US and France. Eventually it’ll cause issues for international tourism in other economies - probably not a huge impact - but reciprocity in visas is a real thing.
Apr 14, 2022, 10:10 pm
#8285
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 6,752
My thought on the issue with charging for tourist visas to Japan is the reciprocity issue with countries Japanese frequent like the US and France. Eventually it’ll cause issues for international tourism in other economies - probably not a huge impact - but reciprocity in visas is a real thing.
So, let's be pragmatic, and let the bids begin. While there of course no assurances, generally speaking, the odds will be higher the "ideal tourist" will be drawn from a pool of those who are affluent; people who are likely to be more educated, polite, prone to make an effort to appreciate Japan's culture, and, most importantly, aren't dead beats who will always pay their bills.
So, you get the same foreign dollars flowing in with less and possibly more polite tourists, which is basically what Japan would prefer, right?
Apr 14, 2022, 10:19 pm
#8286
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Kobe, Japan
Programs: Bonvoy Platinum, IHG Diamond, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 1,527
Perhaps a bit too on topic, but I was about to book some rooms and flights for Ishigaki in late August or September, and now am wondering if a quasi-shutdown will disrupt those plans. The never-ending waves continue...
Apr 14, 2022, 10:36 pm
#8287
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: NGS
Programs: UA Silver, ANA MC, HH Diamond, Hyatt Discoverist, Bonvoy Plat, IHG Plat, Shangri-La GC, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,229
If not, a typhoon certainly will. It did for us when we traveled there in October a few years ago. If it's not one thing, it's another in this land of natural disasters.
Apr 14, 2022, 11:19 pm
#8288
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,112
I went to Ishigaki during one of the manbo, SOE, or whatever the status was, not the first 2020 state of emergency though. Some restaurants were closed, some ran with reduced opening times, but generally it was quite OK.
Apr 15, 2022, 12:07 am
#8289
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: In the air
Programs: Occasional RTW club
Posts: 6,917
Meanwhile I guess the airport authorities found Narita was too efficient, so improvements had to be done - so when you’re passing outbound security, if the boarding start time has passed, you won’t automatically be cleared into the bag screening zone. The machine will beep and everyone will become confused and a supervisor will be called to manually clear you. I’m glad lockdown time is being proactively spent bringing Japanese airports down to worldwide efficiency levels.
Apr 15, 2022, 12:08 am
#8290
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Tokyo
Programs: Bonvoy LT Titanium ANA Diamond
Posts: 763
Ah, perhaps I'm being pretentious here, but I'm assuming Japan's problem isn't with tourism generally as much as it is with the "right" kind of tourism? In other words, Japan would prefer tourists who spend money, pay their bills, respect their culture, and make an effort to adhere to local etiquette. While a pure lottery may be fairer, I doubt it'll yield the type of results the Japanese tourism ministry is looking for.
So, let's be pragmatic, and let the bids begin. While there of course no assurances, generally speaking, the odds will be higher the "ideal tourist" will be drawn from a pool of those who are affluent; people who are likely to be more educated, polite, prone to make an effort to appreciate Japan's culture, and, most importantly, aren't dead beats who will always pay their bills.
So, you get the same foreign dollars flowing in with less and possibly more polite tourists, which is basically what Japan would prefer, right?
So, let's be pragmatic, and let the bids begin. While there of course no assurances, generally speaking, the odds will be higher the "ideal tourist" will be drawn from a pool of those who are affluent; people who are likely to be more educated, polite, prone to make an effort to appreciate Japan's culture, and, most importantly, aren't dead beats who will always pay their bills.
So, you get the same foreign dollars flowing in with less and possibly more polite tourists, which is basically what Japan would prefer, right?
I imagine all countries would prefer that type of tourist ?
Apr 15, 2022, 12:14 am
#8291
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,112
Meanwhile I guess the airport authorities found Narita was too efficient, so improvements had to be done - so when you’re passing outbound security, if the boarding start time has passed, you won’t automatically be cleared into the bag screening zone. The machine will beep and everyone will become confused and a supervisor will be called to manually clear you. I’m glad lockdown time is being proactively spent bringing Japanese airports down to worldwide efficiency levels.
Apr 15, 2022, 12:29 am
#8292
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Kobe, Japan
Programs: Bonvoy Platinum, IHG Diamond, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 1,527
One nice thing about that time period is that typhoons scare people away and prices drop a bit.
Apr 15, 2022, 12:53 am
#8293
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: In the air
Programs: Occasional RTW club
Posts: 6,917
It was exactly what was shown as the boarding start time, which was about 50 minutes or so prior to departure. Which was a mystery to me because who would go so early, especially if it’s the last flight of the day and the sushi bar in the F lounge has closed a long time ago?..
Apr 15, 2022, 1:16 am
#8294
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,112
It was exactly what was shown as the boarding start time, which was about 50 minutes or so prior to departure. Which was a mystery to me because who would go so early, especially if it’s the last flight of the day and the sushi bar in the F lounge has closed a long time ago?..
Apr 15, 2022, 1:57 am
#8295
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: In the air
Programs: Occasional RTW club
Posts: 6,917
It is probably nothing new, just that pre-pandemic it was kind of rare to push it that late, due to potential lines at both immigration and security. And the added change of having to go through a gate with a boarding pass scanner has probably made it even more obvious as opposed to the old manual checks.