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]
May 10, 2022, 10:50 pm
#8506
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 617
Thanks for clearing that up quickly for me. Looks like I must still wait longer to return back to JP as a tourist.
May 10, 2022, 10:55 pm
#8507
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: Hyatt Discoverist, SEIBU PRINCE CLUB Silver, Marriott Gold
Posts: 20,434
I've never seen an impatient sloth before! 
May 11, 2022, 12:19 am
#8508
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,156
Yeah, then there's how temperature checks are necessary to enter most hotels, such that if you have a fever, then sorry, no service. Heck, all government building require this still too, including the immigration buildings (which would be where one needs to go to extend their visa in case they need to overstay since they caught covid and couldn't fly home).
Just imagine someone flying in from the opposite side of the planet, maybe being in motion for the past 20+ hours from their home, to finally arrive but to be denied their reserved room because they are are a little ill, perhaps from such a long trip? And then being left out on the street, its dark, humid, maybe raining, where few if anyone around speaks english, and where no hotel will take them due to an inflated temperature which could have been from for a slew of reasons that have nothing to do with covid?.
So obviously, not just immigration policy or views on mask wearing, but then entire covid mindset of the country needs to change to allow normal tourism.
Just imagine someone flying in from the opposite side of the planet, maybe being in motion for the past 20+ hours from their home, to finally arrive but to be denied their reserved room because they are are a little ill, perhaps from such a long trip? And then being left out on the street, its dark, humid, maybe raining, where few if anyone around speaks english, and where no hotel will take them due to an inflated temperature which could have been from for a slew of reasons that have nothing to do with covid?.
So obviously, not just immigration policy or views on mask wearing, but then entire covid mindset of the country needs to change to allow normal tourism.
May 11, 2022, 1:52 am
#8509
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Tokyo
Programs: TG*G
Posts: 36
Another data point: arrived in NRT from BKK this morning and found the process much improved and relatively fast until....my PCR test came back positive 
That required me to spend about two more hours at the airport, mostly waiting for the transit to be arranged. Now at day 0 of my 7-Days quarantine at International Resort Yurakujo, a bit of persisting coughing and runny nose but otherwise fine. Interestingly my wife who was with me more or less all of the time was tested negative and could return home directly.
That required me to spend about two more hours at the airport, mostly waiting for the transit to be arranged. Now at day 0 of my 7-Days quarantine at International Resort Yurakujo, a bit of persisting coughing and runny nose but otherwise fine. Interestingly my wife who was with me more or less all of the time was tested negative and could return home directly.
May 11, 2022, 1:53 am
#8510
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: Hyatt Discoverist, SEIBU PRINCE CLUB Silver, Marriott Gold
Posts: 20,434
The seven day average, a favorite among some posters here, has ticked up 100% over the previous week in Tokyo, indicating increasing cases.
However, if we just wipe out the previous week as an anamoly of Golden Week and check against two weeks ago, the numbers are still down slightly.
So plenty of room for everyone to continue seeing things in the way that they want to see them.
Okinawa is looking pretty rough though, with another all-time reported high for daily cases today, and their hospitals are starting to feel the pinch. Best of luck to everyone that needs medical care out there.
However, if we just wipe out the previous week as an anamoly of Golden Week and check against two weeks ago, the numbers are still down slightly.
So plenty of room for everyone to continue seeing things in the way that they want to see them.
Okinawa is looking pretty rough though, with another all-time reported high for daily cases today, and their hospitals are starting to feel the pinch. Best of luck to everyone that needs medical care out there.
May 11, 2022, 2:07 am
#8511
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: Hyatt Discoverist, SEIBU PRINCE CLUB Silver, Marriott Gold
Posts: 20,434
Another data point: arrived in NRT from BKK this morning and found the process much improved and relatively fast until....my PCR test came back positive That required me to spend about two more hours at the airport, mostly waiting for the transit to be arranged. Now at day 0 of my 7-Days quarantine at International Resort Yurakujo, a bit of persisting coughing and runny nose but otherwise fine. Interestingly my wife who was with me more or less all of the time was tested negative and could return home directly.
That required me to spend about two more hours at the airport, mostly waiting for the transit to be arranged. Now at day 0 of my 7-Days quarantine at International Resort Yurakujo, a bit of persisting coughing and runny nose but otherwise fine. Interestingly my wife who was with me more or less all of the time was tested negative and could return home directly.
May 11, 2022, 2:21 am
#8512
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 112
It’s no worse than a cold, if you are unlucky enough to even have any symptoms. There is no debate and that’s really the only way to see it if you aren’t braindead. Who cares if a gorillion positive tests show up.
May 11, 2022, 2:30 am
#8513
Join Date: Apr 2022
Location: Kanto
Posts: 151
But such isolation facilities you suggest never existed in Japan during the pandemic, not even for citizens. The only quarantine facilities (which were specially outfitted hotels) have been for the int'l arrivals (and this has been mostly phased out), and those places were clustered around the 3 open airports.
But I have no idea what the protocol would be for a suspected case in a countryside onsen town, hours from the closest mid-level city, let alone what would happen if foreign tourist was a confirmed positive. For sure the hotels won't want them (imagine the clean-up concerns at the hotsprings?), not to mention how it would screw up their other bookings for such an unexpected extended stay. And then good luck communicating all this with the foreigner.
Japanese citizens and residents are told to isolate at home for a week if they get covid, and only go to the hospital if its extreme illness. And even so, only some of the hospitals are even "qualified" to manage a covid case (where I live, there is only 1 qualified hospital within a 1 hour radius). So I truly scratch my head on what they will do with a mildly sick foreign tourist.
May 11, 2022, 2:50 am
#8514
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,156
I've had a fever for the flu, a cold, after a long hike, and from eating a bad meal. I wouldn't doubt more people have fevers from non-covid situations than from covid.
But such isolation facilities you suggest never existed in Japan during the pandemic, not even for citizens. The only quarantine facilities (which were specially outfitted hotels) have been for the int'l arrivals (and this has been mostly phased out), and those places were clustered around the 3 open airports.
But I have no idea what the protocol would be for a suspected case in a countryside onsen town, hours from the closest mid-level city, let alone what would happen if foreign tourist was a confirmed positive. For sure the hotels won't want them (imagine the clean-up concerns at the hotsprings?), not to mention how it would screw up their other bookings for such an unexpected extended stay. And then good luck communicating all this with the foreigner.
Japanese citizens and residents are told to isolate at home for a week if they get covid, and only go to the hospital if its extreme illness. And even so, only some of the hospitals are even "qualified" to manage a covid case (where I live, there is only 1 qualified hospital within a 1 hour radius). So I truly scratch my head on what they will do with a mildly sick foreign tourist.
But such isolation facilities you suggest never existed in Japan during the pandemic, not even for citizens. The only quarantine facilities (which were specially outfitted hotels) have been for the int'l arrivals (and this has been mostly phased out), and those places were clustered around the 3 open airports.
But I have no idea what the protocol would be for a suspected case in a countryside onsen town, hours from the closest mid-level city, let alone what would happen if foreign tourist was a confirmed positive. For sure the hotels won't want them (imagine the clean-up concerns at the hotsprings?), not to mention how it would screw up their other bookings for such an unexpected extended stay. And then good luck communicating all this with the foreigner.
Japanese citizens and residents are told to isolate at home for a week if they get covid, and only go to the hospital if its extreme illness. And even so, only some of the hospitals are even "qualified" to manage a covid case (where I live, there is only 1 qualified hospital within a 1 hour radius). So I truly scratch my head on what they will do with a mildly sick foreign tourist.
Of course you can have a fever above 37.5 from many things. But it is not really a light fever, for most people. Which means that a cold after a hike is not likely to bring you there, or from travel. But a quick test could prove it is not covid, which would solve the challenge.
May 11, 2022, 3:22 am
#8515
Join Date: Apr 2022
Location: Kanto
Posts: 151
In Tokyo positive cases are now asked if they can isolate at home, or if they need to go to a facility to isolate. Know plenty of people who went to Tokyo-to arranged facilities.
Of course you can have a fever above 37.5 from many things. But it is not really a light fever, for most people. Which means that a cold after a hike is not likely to bring you there, or from travel. But a quick test could prove it is not covid, which would solve the challenge.
Of course you can have a fever above 37.5 from many things. But it is not really a light fever, for most people. Which means that a cold after a hike is not likely to bring you there, or from travel. But a quick test could prove it is not covid, which would solve the challenge.
And sure a "quick test" could solve it... just add it to the list of things never done in Japan but should have been implemented for well over a year.
Perhaps the gov can distribute a supply of those "quick tests" to all the hotels, guest houses, ryokans, and minshuku in Japan in the same expedient and efficient way like they did with the Abe-no-masks.
May 11, 2022, 3:29 am
#8516
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: Hyatt Discoverist, SEIBU PRINCE CLUB Silver, Marriott Gold
Posts: 20,434
In the beginning, every single confirmed positive case of COVID-19 required admission to a hospital until the patient gave two negative PCR tests. Some otherwise perfectly healthy people ended up spending over two weeks hospitalized during this time. This remained the policy throughout the first wave, but this became untenable during the second wave of the summer of 2020, at which point certain prefectural governments started outfitting hotels with nursing staff to monitor those deemed least likely to turn serious. But still, the policy was to get everyone out of their home and into some form of remote observation.
It was only during the Delta wave of 2021 that even this policy became untenable, and governments started asking every non-senior citizen that felt they could do so to recover at home.
May 11, 2022, 3:58 am
#8517
Join Date: Apr 2022
Location: Kanto
Posts: 151
They certainly did exist. Those places were called "hospitals".
In the beginning, every single confirmed positive case of COVID-19 required admission to a hospital until the patient gave two negative PCR tests. Some otherwise perfectly healthy people ended up spending over two weeks hospitalized during this time. This remained the policy throughout the first wave, but this became untenable during the second wave of the summer of 2020, at which point certain prefectural governments started outfitting hotels with nursing staff to monitor those deemed least likely to turn serious. But still, the policy was to get everyone out of their home and into some form of remote observation.
It was only during the Delta wave of 2021 that even this policy became untenable, and governments started asking every non-senior citizen that felt they could do so to recover at home.
In the beginning, every single confirmed positive case of COVID-19 required admission to a hospital until the patient gave two negative PCR tests. Some otherwise perfectly healthy people ended up spending over two weeks hospitalized during this time. This remained the policy throughout the first wave, but this became untenable during the second wave of the summer of 2020, at which point certain prefectural governments started outfitting hotels with nursing staff to monitor those deemed least likely to turn serious. But still, the policy was to get everyone out of their home and into some form of remote observation.
It was only during the Delta wave of 2021 that even this policy became untenable, and governments started asking every non-senior citizen that felt they could do so to recover at home.
But again, anything other than hospitals does not exist in the majority of the country. Tokyo and a few big cities may have isolation places, but good luck finding one in all of Tohoku, Hokuriku, or Shikoku as well as the vast majority of Kyushu, Chugoku, Hokkaido, or Chubu. Or are foreign tourists not suppose to go there? (actually, they probably won't in the upcoming monitored group tours the gov plans to initially introduce).
And if hospitals are the only option for isolation (which would be ridiculous), I'd hate to see the local nurses and docs trying to cope with even just a handful of sick non-Japanese-speaking foreign tourists who may not even have health insurance (insurance is not required to visit Japan, so just add that one as well to the list of things that need changing...)
May 11, 2022, 5:13 am
#8518
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: Hyatt Discoverist, SEIBU PRINCE CLUB Silver, Marriott Gold
Posts: 20,434
And if hospitals are the only option for isolation (which would be ridiculous), I'd hate to see the local nurses and docs trying to cope with even just a handful of sick non-Japanese-speaking foreign tourists who may not even have health insurance (insurance is not required to visit Japan, so just add that one as well to the list of things that need changing...)
May 11, 2022, 5:29 am
#8520
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 813
Yeah, then there's how temperature checks are necessary to enter most hotels, such that if you have a fever, then sorry, no service. Heck, all government building require this still too, including the immigration buildings (which would be where one needs to go to extend their visa in case they need to overstay since they caught covid and couldn't fly home).
Just imagine someone flying in from the opposite side of the planet, maybe being in motion for the past 20+ hours from their home, to finally arrive but to be denied their reserved room because they are are a little ill, perhaps from such a long trip? And then being left out on the street, its dark, humid, maybe raining, where few if anyone around speaks english, and where no hotel will take them due to an inflated temperature which could have been from for a slew of reasons that have nothing to do with covid?.
So obviously, not just immigration policy or views on mask wearing, but then entire covid mindset of the country needs to change to allow normal tourism.
Just imagine someone flying in from the opposite side of the planet, maybe being in motion for the past 20+ hours from their home, to finally arrive but to be denied their reserved room because they are are a little ill, perhaps from such a long trip? And then being left out on the street, its dark, humid, maybe raining, where few if anyone around speaks english, and where no hotel will take them due to an inflated temperature which could have been from for a slew of reasons that have nothing to do with covid?.
So obviously, not just immigration policy or views on mask wearing, but then entire covid mindset of the country needs to change to allow normal tourism.