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Latest Japan Travel Updates
Last updated 01 December 2021, 09:00 GMT
Summary
As of December 1st, the Japanese government has reintroduced a border closure for new entries in response to the Omicron variant. Individuals with valid residence statuses are allowed to re-enter with strict quarantine measures depending on which country they have arrived from.
No indication has yet been given of when tourism might resume, but the rapidly accelerating vaccination program means that there is a genuine prospect of this changing in the not-too-distant future. Keep checking back to this page for more details as we receive them.
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Who is currently allowed to travel to Japan?
Only residents of Japan with a specific reason — such as attending a funeral — are being allowed to travel. In such cases, the individual needs to obtain permission, provide a negative Covid-19 test within 72 hours of departure, quarantine for 14 days on arrival (providing location data to the health authorities as proof) and avoid using public transport during this period.
Flights continue to operate from the UK, US and Australia to Japan for people who need to travel.
Travel for any other reason, including business or tourism, is not permitted at all under current regulations but is likely to change in the near future.
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When will it be possible to go on holiday to Japan?
At the moment, we just don’t know. Our current expectation is travel will be possible from early in 2022, with Japan's rapidly increasing vaccination coverage stoking genuine optimism that this will happen in the near future!
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What shall I expect when I arrive in Japan?
We don’t yet know what kind of restrictions will be in place when Japan opens its borders. We expect that at the very least, tourists will be required to provide a negative Covid-19 test result within 72 hours of travel, and you may even be required to provide proof of vaccination.
We’ll update this page as soon as we have more information.
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Will I need to wear a mask?
Wearing a mask has never been compulsory in Japan, but it’s extremely rare to see anyone without one — either indoors or outdoors. It’s likely that even when tourism resumes, mask-wearing will still be an expectation. You will also probably be required to wear a mask, have your temperature checked, and use hand sanitisers to enter most (if not all) establishments.
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Is domestic travel currently allowed?
There are currently no restrictions on domestic travel for people in Japan.
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What’s this I hear about subsidised travel to Japan?
Sadly, this was a case of misreporting by an over-eager press! Though numerous news outlets did report that the Japanese government was thinking about subsidising foreign trips to Japan to give the economy a boost, this was never quite true. In reality, the government was only subsidising domestic travel, and even this has now been suspended.
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More information
To learn more about how InsideJapan is preparing for when travel resumes, head to our Travel with Confidence page.
We have summarised the current government advisories of various countries below. To find out more, click on each header to visit the website for your location.
Fully vaccinated returnees will need to have a PCR test taken on or before the second day after their return to the UK. This test will need to be booked prior to your return to the UK. A passenger locator form completed online within 48hrs of arriving in the UK is also necessary.
U.S. Department of State - Travel.State.Gov
Japan is currently on Level 3: Reconsider Travel, which essentially means that US citizens should not to travel to Japan unless it is necessary.
Australian Government - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
From the 1st of November, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs shifted from a blanket travel ban, to a more controlled approach. Japan's travel advisory was lowered from Level Four "Do Not Travel", to Level Three "Excercise a High Degree of Caution". Depending on which Australian state you are travelling from, fully-vaccinated returnees will no longer need to commit to any form of quarantine and simply have to return a negative PCR test within 72hrs prior to their arrival back into Australia (currently applicable to travel in and out of Victoria, New South Wales, and the Australian Capital Territory). Please note that some states will still require you to undergo either hotel or home quarantine on return regardless of vaccination status.
Government of Canada - Official Global Travel Advisories - Japan
From the 21st of October, the Canadian Government dropped its strict ban on non-essential travel and will now allow fully-vaccinated travellers to travel freely and avoid quarantine on return. Japan's risk level has been revised to "Take Normal Security Precautions" and vaccinated returnees to Canada will simply have to provide evidence of a negative PCR test within 72hrs and submit travel plans to ArriveCAN prior to their arrival. Please note that you may still be subject to random medical screenings on return to Canada.
To find out more about how specific airlines are operating their flights and their terms and conditions, visit the pages below:
British Airways - COVID-19 Travel and Service Updates
United - Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates
Qantas - Coronavirus (COVID-19) Travel Updates
American Airlines - Travel Updates
Delta Air Lines - Coronavirus Updates
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Latest Coronavirus News From Japan
Find out more about coronavirus related news in Japan and hear from our Insiders on the ground.
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