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]
Jul 25, 2022, 11:00 am
#9481
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Omicron variants are more contagious. If there is the same prevalence of mask wearing than before, one would expect a higher infection wave now, if all other things were equal. But in addition to higher contagiousness, there's also less restrictions as far as bars/restaurants, so that's also a factor. None of that implies that masks don't prevent some infections.
Jul 25, 2022, 11:08 am
#9482
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I had a conversation with a Japanese acquaintance a few years ago (prior to COVID-19) about this, making the above observation. She said that that's not why people wear masks - if for example you have a cold, your immune system is compromised, making it more likely that you'll catch an additional infection, so you wear the mask to protect yourself. She as much said that "if it were to only protect others, I wouldn't do it - screw them!" So, maybe everyone isn't as considerate (of others) as you think they are. I also think that there's no good reason for public health officials to make a point of correcting the understanding of the rationale behind that societal norm.
Jul 25, 2022, 1:01 pm
#9483
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Go lookup "honne and tatemae", I don't think they really care about society any more than other cultures but they do care on how they are perceived. If they really want to help their society, they should do something about their declining population.
Jul 25, 2022, 3:39 pm
#9484
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Perhaps some people need a refresher course in debating.
1. A single person's experience does not in and of itself refute a generalization on a society. There's a reason that the phrase "the exception that proves the rule" exists.
2. Complex problems can have multiple causes. Wearing masks can prevent some infections. They can't prevent the infections that occur when you take off the masks and spend hours eating with twenty people at an izakaya.
3. It’s great hearing about how other countries manage/don't manage COVID, but those anecdotes have no bearing on how they are managed here, and cannot solve the current problems being faced here, or at least not in time to have any bearing on this spike.
1. A single person's experience does not in and of itself refute a generalization on a society. There's a reason that the phrase "the exception that proves the rule" exists.
2. Complex problems can have multiple causes. Wearing masks can prevent some infections. They can't prevent the infections that occur when you take off the masks and spend hours eating with twenty people at an izakaya.
3. It’s great hearing about how other countries manage/don't manage COVID, but those anecdotes have no bearing on how they are managed here, and cannot solve the current problems being faced here, or at least not in time to have any bearing on this spike.
Jul 25, 2022, 4:51 pm
#9485
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Perhaps some people need a refresher course in debating.
1. A single person's experience does not in and of itself refute a generalization on a society. There's a reason that the phrase "the exception that proves the rule" exists.
2. Complex problems can have multiple causes. Wearing masks can prevent some infections. They can't prevent the infections that occur when you take off the masks and spend hours eating with twenty people at an izakaya.
3. It’s great hearing about how other countries manage/don't manage COVID, but those anecdotes have no bearing on how they are managed here, and cannot solve the current problems being faced here, or at least not in time to have any bearing on this spike.
1. A single person's experience does not in and of itself refute a generalization on a society. There's a reason that the phrase "the exception that proves the rule" exists.
2. Complex problems can have multiple causes. Wearing masks can prevent some infections. They can't prevent the infections that occur when you take off the masks and spend hours eating with twenty people at an izakaya.
3. It’s great hearing about how other countries manage/don't manage COVID, but those anecdotes have no bearing on how they are managed here, and cannot solve the current problems being faced here, or at least not in time to have any bearing on this spike.
Are you really arguing that we should stick our heads in the sand and learn nothing from experience?
Jul 25, 2022, 4:58 pm
#9486
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If you mean the "we" as in the people that are reading these words, then I think the lesson to be learned is "don't visit Japan for frivilous reasons until the country actually figures out life with corona."
Jul 25, 2022, 5:06 pm
#9487
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I can't tell if we should make a new thread or turn this into the "Communicable diseases impact in Japan" thread, but the first case of the (currently named) "monkeypox", a disease recently classified as a "global health emergency" by the WHO, was detected in Tokyo and announced yesterday.
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles...0m/0na/043000c
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles...0m/0na/043000c
Jul 25, 2022, 5:34 pm
#9488
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I can't tell if we should make a new thread or turn this into the "Communicable diseases impact in Japan" thread, but the first case of the (currently named) "monkeypox", a disease recently classified as a "global health emergency" by the WHO, was detected in Tokyo and announced yesterday.
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles...0m/0na/043000c
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles...0m/0na/043000c
I am sure the archaic laws managing communicable diseases in Japan can help GOJ to bungle this as well.
Jul 25, 2022, 7:13 pm
#9489
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Depends on who you mean by "we"? Sure, I think the Japanese government has made big mistakes in their "with corona" policy (I don't agree with "with corona" in general at this juncture, but if that's what is decided, then there are far better ways to implement it), but I doubt that they are reading this or will take any action based on our feedback.
If you mean the "we" as in the people that are reading these words, then I think the lesson to be learned is "don't visit Japan for frivilous reasons until the country actually figures out life with corona."
If you mean the "we" as in the people that are reading these words, then I think the lesson to be learned is "don't visit Japan for frivilous reasons until the country actually figures out life with corona."
And no I don't think GOJ should read here for their access to the latest developments in covid around the world, there are better and more organised flows of information for medical professionals. I should hope. But I do also hope that GOJ does actually learn from experiences abroad
For people in this thread, I would hope that information shared here about other countries would make us all look further in to the changing conditions of the pandemic and what that could mean for the interpretation of the numbers that we currently see in Japan. Just as I would hope that the information shared about what is happening and done in Japan would help put things in perspective for people outside of Japan. That is also part of figuring out how to live with corona.
Jul 25, 2022, 7:21 pm
#9490
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And no I don't think GOJ should read here for their access to the latest developments in covid around the world, there are better and more organised flows of information for medical professionals. I should hope. But I do also hope that GOJ does actually learn from experiences abroad
Jul 25, 2022, 8:10 pm
#9491
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They're definitely being influenced by foreign pressure. That's why the government continues to ram through life without restrictions even though the bulk of the public think they are needed.
If the government thinks that is the correct approach, which based on experience from abroad it could be, then they need to sell that better. Going back to January/February 2022 when many countries starting lifting restrictions in the middle of a surge, there was a lot of doubt in the populations.
If the Japanese government feels convinced that no further restrictions is the right approach, it does not really help that they with one hand keep restrictions away, but with the other hand bangs on about how bad the numbers are. The other hand should explain why these numbers still mean that we can live without further restrictions despite maybe looking bad. It is a communication issue, if the government is serious that this is the right direction.
Jul 25, 2022, 10:38 pm
#9492
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The "hospitalization waiting stations" set up in Okinawa as a triage until a hospital bed can be found for them are themselves now beyond capacity.
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/202...736281000.html
No word on whether "hospitalization waiting station waiting stations" will be implemented.
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/202...736281000.html
No word on whether "hospitalization waiting station waiting stations" will be implemented.
Jul 26, 2022, 4:40 pm
#9493
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I would argue that choosing to wear a mask when you feel it's a good idea and no one stopping you from doing so is exactly the kind of personal freedom we're looking for.
Jul 26, 2022, 5:44 pm
#9494
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Jul 26, 2022, 5:54 pm
#9495
Join Date: May 2009
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That is not what I was commenting on.