Travel

Japan set to announce restart of visa-free tourist travel

Sep 15 (Nikkei) - Japan will drop a ban on individual tourist visits and remove a cap on daily arrivals, Nikkei has learned, moving closer to pre-pandemic rules as the country looks to ride a global travel rebound.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is expected to announce the changes in the coming days.

The latest easing of Japan's entry rules -- the toughest in the Group of Seven advanced economies -- is expected to take place in October, though the final decision will depend on the COVID-19 situation at home and abroad.

The government is looking to take advantage of fall travel demand at a time when a weak yen boosts international travelers' buying power in Japan.

After the change, Japan will not require visas for short-term travelers from the U.S. and certain other countries. Japan will also scrap the daily entry cap of 50,000 people.

Qualifying travelers are expected to have to meet certain conditions, such as vaccination status. ...continue reading

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