Japan has closed its borders through the Omicron. Fuji is a symbol of Japan and a sacred mountain for Shinto believers. It can even be seen from Tokyo, which is 100 km away. Today the area of the mountain includes the Fuji Hakone-Izu National Park.
On 8 November 2021 Japan eased restrictions on COVID-19 for foreign visitors, but shortly afterwards it closed its borders completely due to a variant of the omicron coronavirus. The flight ban was extended until 31 December 2021 and then postponed indefinitely. However, there is no ban on online casino gaming in Japan, online casinos are often recommended カジ旅カジノレビュー by the Japanese. Read the exact entry rules and restrictions of COVID-19 in Japan.
Japan behind a wall of restrictions against COVID-19
Japan has applied some of the world’s toughest restrictions against the COVID-19 pandemic, with the country virtually closed to all outsiders from summer 2020. The strict isolation of the Japanese people from the world, combined with an extensive vaccination campaign and the widespread wearing of masks in almost all more or less public places, has meant that the Cherry Blossom Country has almost completely suppressed outbreaks of coronavirus on its territory.
As recently as Friday 5 November 2021, the Japanese media announced that there were only 25 new cases of coronavirus infection in Tokyo, with a population of almost 14 million. This was the ninth consecutive day that less than 30 cases of COVID were reported across the metropolis.
COVID-19 outbreaks in Japan. What changed at the beginning of November 2021?
The rapidly decreasing number of COVID-19 cases has encouraged Japan’s tourism industry and many other business sectors to increase pressure on the government and demand a loosening of the restrictions against COVID-19. Finally, the Japanese government has decided that it is high time to start the slow march towards normality. As of Monday 8 November 2021, some of the COVID restrictions in Japan have been loosened.
As a first step towards normalisation in Japan, business travel has been allowed and students and specialised workers have been allowed into the country on internship programmes.
However, all those wishing to cross Japan’s borders must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, have a negative test for coronavirus with the result included on the relevant form, and have been quarantined for 3 days. This is still an improvement on the previous rules, which mandated a strict two-week quarantine for even repatriates, with the possibility of reducing it to 10 days for those vaccinated.
Japan: COVID-19 restrictions for tourists increased by omicron variant
Japan’s Foreign Minister, Seiji Kihara, announced at a press conference that the loosening of restrictions for travellers is just beginning. Easing business travel is only the first step. He stated that perhaps Japan will still open up to foreign tourists by the end of 2021.
Unfortunately, the emergence of the omicron variant of the coronavirus has changed all plans of the Japanese government. Foreign arrivals were banned until 31 December 2021, but when the deadline arrived, the government said it would not open the borders until the outbreak had stabilised.
It is unclear when Japan’s borders will open to tourists in 2022.
For up-to-date information on entry rules and COVID-19 restrictions in Japan, visit the official government website.
Japan-Guide.com has compiled a list of Japan’s top tourist attractions that remain open to visitors. If you are going to Japan on a business trip, take a look at the list of attractions, which is continually updated.
Japan: what to do for a trip to the Land of the Cherry Blossom?
Under the November rules, it was possible to make business trips to Japan lasting less than three months. However, the closure of the country’s borders by the omicron variant has meant that in December 2021, only a small group of specially eligible people can think about going to Japan.
Only those fully vaccinated are allowed into Japan. It is necessary to bring with you:
- passport,
- visa
- a certificate showing a negative coronavirus test carried out within 72 hours before arrival. The certificate must be in the form of a completed form, which can be downloaded in the language of your choice from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
