Japan to Ease Travel Restrictions for China, South Korea, and More in November

Starting in November, the Japanese government will be lifting its travel ban on more countries. The plan came after it officially began easing travel restrictions for 159 countries months ahead of the Tokyo Games.

Citizens from China, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Australia have been announced to be allowed to travel to Japan again. But as with recent border reopening mandates by the government, only essential travels will be allowed.

These include travelers on short-term business trips in the country. Foreign leisure travelers and tourists are still not allowed at this time.

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The agreement between Japan and the abovementioned countries will allow inbound travelers to skip the 14-day self-isolation policy given they test negative for the novel coronavirus. Those eligible for exemption from the 14-day self-isolation policy will also have to submit a comprehensive travel itinerary, including the place of employment and accommodation.

A two-week self-quarantine has been imposed for inbound travelers for most countries around the world. Given this new bilateral agreement, business travelers bound for Japan are expected to experience somehow looser travel restrictions.

Japanese nationals, expatriates, and other long-term foreign residents returning to Japan will also be able to enjoy the same opportunity to skip 14-day self-isolation.

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However, as Japan reopens to overseas travels, it does not guarantee to accommodate all inbound travelers. There will still be a daily limit on the number of people who can enter. And this is mainly based on the testing capacity at airports and other ports of entry.

In the meantime, Japan is reportedly planning to fully lift entry bans as soon as April 2021, which is about two months ahead of the rescheduled Tokyo Olympic Games. Per The Japan Times report, all visitors will be required to download a health check mobile app to keep tabs on their health daily for a span of two weeks if they want to forego the 14-day self-quarantine.

Foreign tourists could also be required to have private medical insurance before their entry. The Japanese government is also reported to build health consultation centers for foreign tourists.

However, take this report with a grain of salt. The government has yet to announce any official statement.