Japan currently requires foreign nationals entering or returning Japanese to hold a negative nucleic acid test (PCR) certificate within 72 hours before boarding. The local media quoted government sources yesterday as saying that the government plans to revoke the relevant entry requirements, as long as those entering the country have completed 3 doses of the new crown vaccine; The Kyodo News Agency said yesterday that the government is also preparing to open it up to more foreign tourists. There is no need to arrange for a tour guide to lead a group as it is now, that is, they can travel freely. According to reports, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced the relaxation of entry restrictions as soon as today.
Since June, Japan has allowed foreign tourists to enter the country once more. Tourists from 98 countries and regions with low risk of the epidemic can travel to Japan by participating in tour groups. The beneficiary regions include China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Thailand, the United States and the United Kingdom. However, the Japanese industry said that there has been no increase in tourists since the resumption of reception of foreign tourists for two months. The owner of a hotel in Nara lamented that the number of foreign tourists staying at the hotel is still zero, and the effect of “lifting the ban” cannot be felt. Before the epidemic, half of the hotel’s guests were foreign tourists. Japan recorded 7,903 tourist arrivals in July, a far cry from more than 2.7 million in July 2019. One of the reasons why tourists have not “returned” is that passengers must hold a negative virus test within 72 hours before boarding, while the United Kingdom, the United States and Vietnam do not have this entry requirement, and tourists prefer to go to these areas. In addition, people who traveled to Japan in the past were all on their own, and now they have to join a tour group to enter the country.
More than 340 people died of new coronary pneumonia yesterday, a single-day high
European and American business lobby groups welcomed news of Japan’s planned relaxation of entry restrictions and urged Japan to resume visa-free arrangements for business travelers and tourists, saying it was a major obstacle for businessmen to enter Japan. Another public pointed out that it is currently difficult to obtain nucleic acid test reports in some countries that have narrowed their virus testing systems, making it difficult for Japanese or foreign tourists returning from business trips to obtain negative certificates. As Japan considers easing travel restrictions, 343 people died yesterday from the new coronavirus, a record high of 327 in a single day at the peak of the outbreak in February. Japan is currently in the seventh wave of the outbreak, with 208,551 new cases yesterday. According to a study by Kyoto University in Japan, the new crown pneumonia will become an endemic epidemic from the current global pandemic, and regarding one adult in Japan will continue to be infected in the next few years.
Originally published on AM730 https://www.am730.com.hk/international/Consider resuming free travel for tourists – Daily 3-needle-free certificate/335121?utm_source=yahoorss&utm_medium=referral