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Tourists from low-risk countries and regions will be exempted from on-arrival COVID-19 tests and home quarantine to enter Japan, regardless of their vaccination status.
Calling all Japan travel enthusiasts: you may now get your suitcases ready for a test-free, quarantine-free trip to Japan.
According to the announcement on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan’s website, starting from 1 June 2022, the measures for cross-border travellers will be reviewed. Under the new border measures, countries and regions are divided into three groups – 'blue' (low-risk), 'yellow' (medium-risk) and 'red' (high-risk) - depending on their assessed COVID-19 risk level of contagion.
Tourists from the low-risk group 'blue' countries and regions will be exempted from COVID-19 tests, home quarantine and other measures upon arrival in Japan, regardless of their vaccination status. However, they still have to present a negative result proof of a PCR-based nucleic acid test for COVID-19 taken within 72 hours prior to departure.
The followings are specific requirements for overseas travellers under different categories:
| Classification | Vaccination certificates | PCR test (72 hours prior to departure) | On-arrival PCR Test | Quarantine period and other measures after entry into Japan |
Group 'Blue' (low-risk) | Yes | Required | Not required | Not required |
| No | ||||
Group 'Yellow' (medium-risk) | Yes | Required | Not required | Not required |
| No | Required | Three-day home quarantine+ negative result of a voluntary test / Seven-day home quarantine without a test | ||
Group 'Red' (high-risk) | Yes | Required | Required | Three-day home quarantine+ negative result of a voluntary test / Seven-day home quarantine without a test |
| No | Three-day quarantine at a specific facility designated by the chief of the quarantine station (+negative test |
Currently, there are a total of 98 countries and regions classified as the group 'Blue', including Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, South Korea, the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia and New Zealand.
Meanwhile, as cited by Nikkei Asia, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the Japanese government will double the daily quota on international arrivals from currently 10,000 to 20,000 a day from 1 June 2022.
Foreign tourists can also expect to visit the country again from 10 June 2022, initially with visitors on small guided tour groups.
To align with the reopening of the border, international flights will be allowed in at Hokkaido's New Chitose Airport and Okinawa's Naha Airport by June.
As a water-testing approach, Japan has began to accept small trial tour groups from the United States, Australia, Singapore and Thailand in late May. However, one of the tours has been cancelled after a Thai tourist taking part tested positive for COVID-19. Those travelling in the same group were since admitted to quarantine facilities.
ALSO READ: Hong Kong's new entry rules and flight penalty effective on 1 June 2022
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