Is Japan Open for Travel? Updates on Japan’s Travel & Border Restriction (2022)

Hello from Japan! This page will keep you updated with the latest news regarding Japan’s border restrictions. We’ll be updating this page every week on Monday (JST), or as the latest news comes in with information specifically for tourists looking to travel to Japan.*

(Updated 2022/09/23)

Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has officially announced the following:

As of October 11, 2022, (1) Japan will lift the cap on the number of people who can enter the country, (2) the ban on individual travel will be lifted, and (3) the ban on visa-free travel will be lifted.

No other details regarding proof of vaccination, etc. have been announced. Once details have been official announced, we will update this page.

What we know so far (Full guidelines have not been released as of 2022/09/22):

(Updated 2022/09/07)

• Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has announced that Japan will ease its border restrictions and reopen its borders starting September 7th, 2022.
• Package tours accompanied by a tour guide will no longer be a requirement. However, there are a few rules that independent travelers will need to follow when making bookings. Mainly, independent travelers must make flight & accommodation bookings via a travel agency.
• Full guidelines on how to travelers can book & enter Japan to be announced.
• Overseas travelers from all countries will be permitted to enter Japan.
• The total number of visitors permitted to enter Japan will be increased to 50,000 per day.

(Updated 2022/06/03)

• The Japanese government has classified countries & regions into 3 different categories (blue, red, and yellow) according to the country or region’s current COVID-19 infection situation. Currently, 98 countries are classified as “blue” (countries & regions where the infection situation is calm). Tourists from “blue” countries are exempt from inspection and are no longer required to quarantine after entering Japan.
• For more details, please take a look at the official Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.

(Updated 2022/05/26)

• Beginning June 10th, Japan will officially lift its travel ban and begin accepting overseas tourists.
• As announced previously, the acceptance of overseas tourists into Japan will be conducted in phases. For the first phase beginning on June 10th, entry will be permitted for those on package tours accompanied by a tour guide. More details are expected to be announced.
• The daily limit to the number of visitors permitted to enter Japan will also increase from 10,000 visitors to 20,000 visitors beginning June 1st, 2022.
• Shin-Chitose Airport (Hokkaido) and Naha Airport (Okinawa) also plans to resume accepting international flights before the end of June 2022.

(Updated 2022/05/24)

• The Japanese government has started its trial run of allowing “small-group package tours with predetermined itineraries” into Japan. Starting today, 50 travelers from 4 different countries (the United States, Australia, Thailand, and Singapore) have been allowed to travel the country via special tours organized by tour agencies.
• Each tour is accompanied by a tour conductor and will last for 7 nights and 8 days.
• With this trial run, the Japanese government plans on creating additional preventative measures against COVID-19 and guidelines on how to respond in the event of a positive case. Once these measures have been finalized, Japan plans on opening its borders and accepting overseas travelers.

Source: Yahoo! Japan News

Traveling in the “new normal”. What does that mean for tourists coming into Japan, and what is the covid etiquette in Japan?

Wearing Masks

• Wearing face masks is not officially enforced in Japan. However, even before a COVID-19 world, wearing face masks in public was very common. Masks are worn all year around if a person is sick, if someone wants to avoid becoming sick, during allergy season, etc.
• At the moment, the general population still wears face masks on a daily basis to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Face masks are worn when using public transportation, in public enclosed spaces (shops, restaurants, temples, etc.), and outdoors where there are large groups of people (amusement parks, etc.).

Hand Sanitization & Temperature Checks

• In most public establishments, hand sanitizer is provided near the entrance. Many establishments will ask you to sanitize your hands before entering.
• Some establishments will take extra precaution and ask to check your temperature before allowing you to enter. If your temperature is determined to be above 37.5° (C), you may be asked to refrain from entering.

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*All information provided on this page is gathered from official government releases, foreign visitor advisories, and news outlets. Please note that while we are working to provide you with the latest & most accurate news, we advise that you confirm all final information before making any travel plans. Official Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan website.