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]
#9961
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: California
Programs: AA EXP; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite
Posts: 1,968
COVID-19 Vaccination Certificates Valid for Entry into Japan from Abroad | Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (mofa.go.jp)
COVID-19 vaccination certificates issued abroad which fulfill all the three requirements (1)-(3) below.
- (1) All relevant items described below should be listed on the certificate either in Japanese or English:
Name, date of birth, product name or manufacturer of vaccines, vaccination date, number of COVID-19 vaccine doses (Note 1)- (Note 1) COVID-19 vaccination certificates written in languages other than Japanese or English are considered as valid if the translation (Japanese/English) is attached and all the items are clearly identifiable.
- (2) The certificate should prove that at least two doses (As for JCOVDEN / Janssen, one dose is treated as two doses) of any of the COVID-19 vaccines described in the table a. below are inoculated, and any of the COVID-19 vaccines described in the table b. below is inoculated for the third vaccination or after. (Note 2)
#9962
Join Date: Apr 2022
Location: Kanto
Posts: 151
There's a MOFA page that still says Japan considers J&J (which I have also) to be two doses.
COVID-19 Vaccination Certificates Valid for Entry into Japan from Abroad | Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (mofa.go.jp)
COVID-19 Vaccination Certificates Valid for Entry into Japan from Abroad | Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (mofa.go.jp)
So if someone is still seeking their 3rd-dose booster, you may want opt for the J&J since it would technically render you qualified for when Japan inevitably starts requiring a 4th dose.
#9963
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: TXL
Programs: US, LH, HH
Posts: 724
If one J&J equals two doses ("As for JCOVDEN / Janssen, one dose is treated as two doses"), then two J&J would equal four (according to their list, the J&J is an accepted third dose option)
So if someone is still seeking their 3rd-dose booster, you may want opt for the J&J since it would technically render you qualified for when Japan inevitably starts requiring a 4th dose.
So if someone is still seeking their 3rd-dose booster, you may want opt for the J&J since it would technically render you qualified for when Japan inevitably starts requiring a 4th dose.
#9964
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
Since it is the the pre departure test that is being suspended from the 7th of September at 00:00 I would say you would need to depart after that. If you depart on the 6th I am pretty certain you will need the test. The question will of course be if that is local departure time or Japan time. My guess would be local departure time.
#9965
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: TXL
Programs: US, LH, HH
Posts: 724
Since it is the the pre departure test that is being suspended from the 7th of September at 00:00 I would say you would need to depart after that. If you depart on the 6th I am pretty certain you will need the test. The question will of course be if that is local departure time or Japan time. My guess would be local departure time.
#9966
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
The test is condition to enter Japan, this is enforced by extension through airlines. On that base I'd argue as long as you land in Japan on/after 7th September, the test shouldn't be needed. After all you're allowed to fly via Japan all the time without any test/requirements.
#9967
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: TXL
Programs: US, LH, HH
Posts: 724
I just checked what UA lists on their travel restrictions page https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...tions-map.html They don't mention the new measures at all, but they do reference this page: https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/covid-19/bordercontrol.html which has this interesting note:
The new measures will apply to cross-border travelers and returnees who board an aircraft with an estimated time of arrival after 00:00 JST on September 7th, 2022.
#9968
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 just checked what UA lists on their travel restrictions page https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...tions-map.html They don't mention the new measures at all, but they do reference this page: https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/covid-19/bordercontrol.html which has this interesting note:
#9969
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
Added the new rules to the wiki, and adjusted a few points as well.
#9970
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 813
Not sure I've seen a country with such a sustained wave like Japan. Couple with continued low testing the positivity rates remain at elevated levels. I'm not sure I want to go to Japan and risk feeling like crap by getting covid again on vacation.
#9971
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: SIN, SFO, LON
Programs: SQ:TPPS, Marriott: Titanium
Posts: 442
Not really. Most countries nowadays will just ask you to stay home for a week if you happen to test positive (it’s all self testing also for most countries). There is really not much a government follow up unless you are really sick and required hospitalization. The elevated positive cases in Japan is probably more to do with mandatory registration of ALL positive test results regardless of severity (you have to go to a testing center to test in Japan, self testing is not exactly widely available (probably not encouraged also, God forbid ppl may not report their test results!! Lol).
Last edited by williamluk; Aug 27, 2022 at 3:43 am
#9972
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: middle of nowhere, formerly TYO/EWR
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 213
If one J&J equals two doses ("As for JCOVDEN / Janssen, one dose is treated as two doses"), then two J&J would equal four (according to their list, the J&J is an accepted third dose option)
So if someone is still seeking their 3rd-dose booster, you may want opt for the J&J since it would technically render you qualified for when Japan inevitably starts requiring a 4th dose.
So if someone is still seeking their 3rd-dose booster, you may want opt for the J&J since it would technically render you qualified for when Japan inevitably starts requiring a 4th dose.
#9973
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: Hyatt Discoverist, SEIBU PRINCE CLUB Silver, Marriott Gold
Posts: 20,434
America has been "officially" reporting an average of around 100,000 cases a day since May. No doubt the actual numbers are much higher than that.
#9974
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: NYC / TYO / Up in the Air
Programs: UA GS 1.7MM, AA 2.1MM, EK, BA, SQ, CX, Marriot LT, Accor P
Posts: 6,310
delete -dup somehow?
Last edited by bmwe92fan; Aug 26, 2022 at 7:45 pm
#9975
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: NYC / TYO / Up in the Air
Programs: UA GS 1.7MM, AA 2.1MM, EK, BA, SQ, CX, Marriot LT, Accor P
Posts: 6,310
You can ignore real world data forever saying that Japan is somehow different -- but reality it isn't so kind when you look at real data.... Politics is driving this -- pandering to an aging population that doesn't care one bit about being in a global society -- and that is fine -- but you keep lashing out at the US or the EU as if they are the devil to justify the new hermit kingdom - but honestly data isn't your friend after triple vax at 80% in any country in the world -- Japan did this to themselves -- structurally and societally -- please stop these posts making it seem like Japan got it right for themselves -- when there is zero real data to support this thesis....
As someone that lives in both worlds -- and has for well over a decade -- I'll choose what's real over politics.... My wife can come and go freely to the US -- for me not so much to Japan.... Even to my home in Tokyo which we own -- ONLY because I'm not "Japanese"....
So the real question to you -- is it behavior that matters -- or blood? At some point you have to accept that the Japanese response -- while arguably at the very beginning may have "worked" -- but trying to justify it now just looks foolish...
Japan has created it's own mess -- whether or not they care is for a different thread I guess -- but lashing out at the US or EU to justify a Japanese response that is increasingly difficult to defend with real data -- well...
Last edited by bmwe92fan; Aug 26, 2022 at 8:49 pm