Both, surprisingly. While the COVID test is a federal/US requirement, the vaccination to exempt quarantine is a local requirement. The latter will never cause a passenger to be denied entry regardless of vaccination status so the airlines don’t seem to care.

Sometimes these two get intertwined and confused. It even made the local news since some official responses caused an IDB from a passenger originating in TPE.

A friend's son got his PCR test done in the US (Wisconsin), but was refused check-in as he did not have the required paperwork. Took 48 hours to get retested, but he eventually made it to NRT (via Dubai). Since my son will be coming from HNL, I trust the paperwork will be done right.

I can only recommend to sure make to that the medical institution is willing to fill in and sign the form that the government of Japan has published for PCR results. If not, don't just trust, ask for an advance example of the form and check that it lives up the requirements.

Don't automatically trust anything that happens in Hawaii!

His host brother visited Japan a month ago and is now back in Hawaii, so as long as he follows that example, I think it will go smoothly. Of course, you never know when an unexpected change/rule will get introduced.

Maybe I missed it, but did you get a flight to KIX?

Yeah, although they gave me a bit of a scare. I booked online, requested a seat, paid and got the receipt. Then a month later went to check about crediting to a program and noticed there was no ticket issued. I called and got a "that's strange, you paid" response, and they issued it right then.
-Booked 7/13 for $779 Hopefully end of discussion...now the only question is where to credit the miles (AA I think). I will report if anything crops up.

My other son is going to the US in July on an award ticket. Going is not a problem, but his return EWR-SFO-KIX was cancelled about 2 weeks after I booked it. Called and the choices were NYC-ICN-KIX or NYC-MUN-KIX. He chose the latter, as it has a bit more time in the air, but not in one shot. Plus less waiting time in the airport. And he gets to say he flew around the globe...

Good to hear. Hope it goes well for both of them. It's weird to say that this will be the second summer in a row that I've not travelled outside of Japan.

Hi,

What are the requirements transit in NRT?

I'm flying MNL - NRT - YVR (1 PNR, NH/AC)

Are transit passengers allowed? Any paperwork needed to transit in Japan? Apps to download? PCR test with specific Japan attestation form?

Thanks!

There is only one requirement for the transit. It works more or less like normal. Except they will take all connecting passengers of the flight first, and escort them to transit security.
The one restriction is due to airport operations and immigration, the transit can't be overnight as the terminal closes and you generally can't enter Japan. But I doubt the airline would sell that on one ticket anyway

Thank you CPH! Info I needed to hear! :D

May I know whether 2 tickets transit is allowed now in NRT? What are the requirements? What's the maximum time of stay while in transit?

Two tickets are allowed. You may have a bit of a push back at check in, as the first airline will see you as a arriving in Japan, bring a print of your e-ticket to show the onward connection.

You can't do an overnight connection as the terminal closes, and you'd need to enter Japan when it does. If you are checking luggage you need to be certain that the first airline is willing and able to check through to the second airline. That's about it.

Thanks. I agree with your answer.

I discovered Lufthansa canceled MUC-KIX and rebooked him for JFK-FRA-HND! I called UA and asked what was going on, and they said it happened a couple days ago and there were going to let me know eventually.

What surprised me most is that they rebooked to a different city, not the intended destination.

Now he is JFK-ICN-KIX. Hopefully that's the last change I need to do.

Did they open for arrivals from Korea outside of Narita? They banned all China and Korea flights from all other airports than Narita.
Yes, just read up on the rules Kansai is allowed, and was allowed all along.