Editor’s Note — Coronavirus cases remain high across the globe. Health officials caution that travel increases your chances of getting and spreading the virus. Staying home is the best way to stem transmission. Below is information on what to know if you still plan to travel, last updated on January 17
The basics
Following the identification of the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus, Japan shut its borders to all foreigners except those visiting the country on humanitarian grounds, effective November 30.
Foreign residents of Japan, even if they have residency, who travel to Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia or Zimbabwe will not be allowed to re-enter the country.
On January 17, the health ministry announced that it would allow 87 international students to enter Japan sometime in late January or early February.
These specially selected students will be required to spend 10 days in quarantine accommodation prepared by their schools before joining the rest of the student body.
What’s on offer
A heady mix of the cutting edge and deeply traditional, Japan remains a major draw for travelers from all over the globe. Whether participating in a traditional tea ceremony in Kyoto, scouring Tokyo’s Akihabara district for tech bargains or soaking in a hot onsen in the forests of Tohoku, this is a country that leaves its mark on all who visit.
Who can go
Japan has some of the most stringent travel restrictions in the world.
What are the restrictions?
Those traveling under Japan’s revised business travel rules will need to provide proof of a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of departure, signed and stamped by the laboratory where it was taken. While they will not need to self-isolate, they will need to provide details of their movements for the following two weeks and not use public transport.
Under these states and quasi-states, prefecture governments were allowed to make restrictions about things like crowd sizes and restaurant hours. With those designations lifted, it is possible for venues like bars, malls and cinemas to reopen.
What’s the Covid situation?
As of January 17, Japan had reported 1,881,481 confirmed cases of the virus and 18,429 deaths. These numbers don’t include any positive cases connected to the Olympics or Paralympics. More than 77% of the population is fully vaccinated.
Japan confirmed its first case of the Omicron variant on December 22. The National Institute of Infectious Diseases confirmed that the infected patient was a Japanese man in his 30s returning from Namibia.
Travelers returning to Japan from countries with confirmed Omicron cases — which include the United States — will be required to quarantine for 7-10 days upon arrival.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato confirmed to local media that his team is exploring options for “vaccine passports.” Business travelers would be prioritized for these at first.
What can visitors expect?
While much of Japan remains open for business, cities are far quieter than usual and the government has the right to request the closure of businesses in areas of high transmission. Masks must be worn in public.
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Joe Minihane, Julia Buckley and Lilit Marcus contributed to this story
