New Entry Restrictions over the Omicron Variant from January 15th, Japan

Japanese border measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 (Updated: January 15th)

Japanese border measures

After some reinforced announces about Japanese border measures to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), on January 14, the Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has decided to change the self-quarantine period of Japanese and foreign residents returning to Japan after entry into Japan.

From 0:00 am (JST) on January 15, 2022, self-quarantine period after entry into Japan is changed.

For all cross-border travelers and returnees from countries/regions where the B.1.1.529 Omicron variant becomes dominant (all countries/regions except for those where COVID-19 variants other than the Omicron variant become dominant), the length of period when they are required to self-quarantine in places such as their own residence or accommodations after their entry into Japan, to follow-up checks conducted by the Health Monitoring Center for Overseas Entrants (HCO) and to refrain from using public transportation is changed from 14 days to 10 days.

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan’s website

The border measure can be summarized as follows:

Tourists, new students or business travelers are not allowed to enter the country. New visas for workers are also not being issued. The only exception to the entry ban is Japanese and foreign residents returning to Japan, but they are required to be placed in isolation for 10 days.

Depending on the country you are coming from, you will be required to spend from 3 to 10 days in one of the government-designated facility (a hotel). The number of days also varies from day to day depending on the omicron situation in each country.

The list of countries/regions subject to the measures has been updated as follows:

10 days in a place designated by these authorities (ONLY Japanese and previously authorized persons), if the person has spent the last 14 days before arriving in Japan in Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

6 days in a place designated by these authorities, if the person has spent the last 14 days before arriving to Japan in Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Kenya, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Portugal, South Korea, Sweden, Tanzania, United Kingdom, United States of America(California, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York and Texas).

3 days in a place designated by these authorities, if the person has been in the last 14 days before arriving to Japan in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil (Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, San Paulo and Santa Catarina), Canada, Chile, Columbia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Maldives, Malta, Mexico, Nepal,Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Reunion, Russia, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United States of America (except California, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York and Texas).

Those who come from other countries and regions are required to self-quarantine for 10 days in places such as their own residence or accommodations after their entry into Japan.

If you are wondering how are the designated facilities by the Japanese authorities and how is the process, here is my first-hand experience this summer returning to Japan from Spain and spending 3 days in a quarantined hotel.


Here are the border situations in the past:

-From December 21st, Japan

-From December 15th, Japan

-From December 14th, Japan

We are delivering the latest information about entry restrictions on this news letter below.