TOKYO - Japan on Monday provided details of its full-scale tourism reopening, following Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's announcement last week.
The country will allow visa-free entry for visitors from 68 countries and regions, as it did before the COVID-19 pandemic. Still, there will be some coronavirus-related hoops to jump through, such as providing proof of vaccination.
Starting on Oct. 11, the government will allow general travelers to enter almost as they did before the pandemic. The current requirement of signing up for package tours will be dropped.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, visitors from 68 countries and regions -- including South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Australia, the U.S. and the U.K. -- will no longer have to obtain a visa.
This restores the visa exemption arrangements that existed for short-term stays before COVID-19. In principle, a short-term stay is 90 days, though there are some exceptions, such as 15-day limits for visitors from Indonesia and Thailand.
As far as entry requirements are concerned, visitors will need to show proof of having received three doses of coronavirus vaccines. Alternatively, they can show a negative test result. ...continue reading
