Japan Officially Reopen for Independent Tourists in October 2022
Japan will reopen for the first time in these two years
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Yesterday, September 22nd, as rumors suggested, Kishida took advantage of his stay in New York to make the long-awaited announcement official.
Finally Japan is going to open its borders without restrictions to individual tourism from October 11th!
The government intends to take advantage of the weak yen to capture fall and winter tourism demand and boost the economy by increasing the number of inbound tourists to Japan.
In this article we will explain the details of the new situation!
Japan’s previous border situation
Japan was one of the first countries to implement a total border closure at the beginning of the pandemic. Since then its border policy has been very strict, to the extent that during the first few months it vetoed entry to foreign residents leaving the country or being outside the country at the time of the closure.
Those who were allowed to enter Japan had to undergo various PCR tests upon arrival, quarantine periods in designated hotels, etc.
In recent months the current Prime Minister of Japan, Kishida and his government have been slowly easing the measures. The number of people allowed to enter the country on a daily basis has been increased, and tourism has been authorized for those traveling with travel agencies. Recently, the need for a PCR test 27 hours before flight departure was also eliminated for those who were fully vaccinated.
Japan’s border situation from October 11th
As we explained in our previous article when the first news came out on September 13, there are going to be three main points that are going to be changed.
The first change is the elimination of the restriction on the number of people that can enter the country per day. The number of people had been progressively increasing to 50,000 people per day (it had been below 10,000 people). Finally there will be no daily limitation.
The second and one of the most important points is that individual tourism is now allowed. Until now, only people coming to Japan through travel agencies were accepted. For those who usually seek to travel in the most economical way, booking their own flights and hotels, this point made them give up on the idea of coming to Japan.
The last and probably the most important point: it will not be necessary to apply for a tourist visa anymore. The travel agencies were in charge in many cases of processing these visas, but it’s a long and tiring process. Now the situation will return to the way it was before the pandemic, where many countries didn’t need a visa to enter Japan as tourists (Note: countries that needed to apply for a tourist visa before the border closure may still need one).
Get ready for be connected during your trip to Japan!
If you are already planning your trip to Japan now that they are accepting tourists again, a must nowadays when traveling is to have and good internet connection! So I recommend you Japan Wireless, a company that leases pocket WiFi devices and SIM Cards.
Their Premium WiFi Plan which includes a rental pocket WiFi with unlimited data and a free mobile battery. The battery lasts for about 20 hours with the free power bank and you can connect the Internet with up to 10 devices.
And Japan Web Magazine reader have an exclusive promo code: JPW001
▶︎Click here for more info about Japan Wireless!
Need a PCR test during your visit to Japan?
Although Japan no longer requires a mandatory PCR test to enter the country, it’s possible that upon your return it will be required in your country of residence, or if you travel from Japan to another country such as Hong Kong. Also, although I hope this doesn’t happen to you, COVID-19 still exists and as of this moment Japan has a fairly high incidence of cases, so it’s possible that during your trip you may begin to have symptoms and want to get tested.
If you need to get a PCR or Antigen test, then I recommend you contact Clinic Nearme. They offer a multi-language services, which is difficult to find in Japan, even in big cities as Tokyo or Osaka. They can also provide you with a valid negative certificate in case you need it.
▶Official Website: https://clinicnearme.jp/
What if you get a high fever or sick during your trip?
Clinic Nearme only performs PCR testing, so if you get a high fever or you start to feel sick during your trip to Japan, I recommend you contact NTT Medical Center Tokyo. This is a big hospital with different experts that also offers multi-language services.
▶Official Website: https://www.nmct.ntt-east.co.jp/lp/international_healthcare/
First time in Japan?
If this is your first time in Japan and you are looking for the best places to visit and activities to do in the 3 most popular cities of Japan (Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka) you can take a look at our Bucket Lists!
▶30 Best Things to Do in Tokyo 2022
▶26 Best Things to Do in Kyoto
▶26 Best Things to Do in Osaka
I hope this information was helpful for you. Here are our previous article regarding Japanese border measures for your reference.
▶Japan Considers Reopening for Independent Tourists in October 2022
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If you want information about best places to visit in Japan, or things do to in Autumn, check the following articles!
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Written by
From Barcelona to Tokyo. Coffee & Adventure lover🌏☕️
I started to like Japan because of the anime, music and doramas, but after my first trip to the country I found what I love the most: traveling around, the culture and history. I have travelled a lot in Japan, but I still have many places to discover that I want to share with you🙋🏼♀️ Let’s discover Japan together!
Also, as a foreigner living in Japan for over 6 years I understand what kind of things are difficult when you move here and I want to help other people in the same situation that I have in the past.
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