Japan says it will ‘lift entry ban on 106 countries,’ but tourists still can’t enter

Apr 07, 2022 | News On Japan

Apr 07, 2022 (Japan Times) - A government statement late Wednesday said that Japan will “lift the entry ban on 106 countries,” causing confusion on social media and giving false hope that tourists would soon be allowed into the country.

In fact, there will be no change to the status quo.

“In reality, there will be no change to who can enter Japan,” said a Justice Ministry official when asked to clarify the statement. “There won’t be anyone new who will be able to enter Japan as a result of this change.”

Foreign students, researchers and business travelers who have been allowed into Japan since March 1 will continue to be able to enter the country, but tourists remain barred from entering.

The latest case illustrates how hard it is to navigate Japan’s bureaucratic wording on entry restrictions, which have caused confusion among foreign nationals throughout the pandemic.

In the statement sent by the Cabinet Office’s National Security Bureau, which was also posted on the Foreign Ministry website, the government said it will lift the ban on 106 countries including the United States, the United Kingdom and France, from Friday.

The Justice Ministry bans the entry of people arriving from countries where the Foreign Ministry has issued travel alerts over the spread of an infectious disease, except for “special cases,” such as the spouse of a Japanese national. The alerts range from level 1 (low) to 4 (high). If the country is designated as level 3 or higher, the Justice Ministry automatically bans arrivals from those countries, and vice versa. ...continue reading

Source: TBS NEWS

Typhoons No. 28 and 29 Bring High Waves to Japan's Pacific Coast

Two typhoons moving across the Pacific southeast of Japan are expected to remain well away from the Japanese mainland, but powerful swells could bring rough seas to a wide stretch of the country's Pacific coastline throughout the three-day holiday weekend, according to forecasts updated at 3 a.m. on October 10.

Cyberattacks Spread Across Japan

A series of cyberattacks has disrupted business operations and exposed millions of customer records across Japan, with a ransomware attack on a cloud service provider affecting 495 companies and local governments nationwide, while convenience store operator Lawson has disclosed a separate breach involving more than 2.15 million personal information records.

Japan's First 360-Degree Projection Mapping Opens in Osaka

Japan's first 360-degree projection mapping show will open at the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts on October 10, transforming the historic building into an immersive world of light, music, and seasonal imagery, with organizers hoping the attraction will also help stimulate the city's nighttime economy.

Tokyo University Professor Wins Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Tokyo University of Science professor emeritus Kenzo Soai has been awarded this year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry together with French chemist Henri B. Kagan for discoveries that transformed scientists' understanding of how chemical reactions can favor one of two mirror-image forms of a molecule.

US Military Halts All Okinawa Operations for 48 Hours

The US military suspended activities by all forces stationed in Okinawa for 48 hours from noon on October 7, an unusual measure following the arrest of a US Marine in connection with a robbery and murder case that has renewed scrutiny of crimes involving American service members.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Most Sightings of Fugitive Yoichi Hatta Reported in Kanto

Police in Oita Prefecture have revealed that the Kanto region accounts for the largest number of reported sightings of Yoichi Hatta, a fugitive wanted in connection with a fatal hit-and-run incident in Beppu in 2022, with authorities preparing to distribute new wanted posters nationwide from November as the search enters its fifth year.