Japan has announced that it will end a two-year pandemic closure and reopen to tourists from 98 countries and regions next month, but travelers will only be able to enter as part of tour groups.
The decision comes after the government said last week that it would test small group visits with visitors from the United States, Australia, Thailand and Singapore starting this month.
On Thursday, the government reviewed border controls to resume acceptance of travel packages from 98 countries and regions, including the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Spain, Canada and Malaysia, beginning June 10.
Japan will also expand the number of airports that accept international flights to seven, adding Naha to its southern Okinawa prefecture and New Chitose, near Sapporo, north of Hokkaido.
For most of the pandemic, Japan has banned all tourists and only allowed foreign nationals and residents to enter, although even the latter have been periodically closed.
All arrivals must be negative for Covid before traveling to Japan, and many must be re-tested on arrival, although triple-vaccinated people from certain countries may skip the extra test. like a forty-three day necessary for others.
Tourist groups are expected to take responsibility for ensuring that visitors respect the use of Japan’s near-universal masks and other measures that have helped keep Covid’s cost relatively low.
It is unclear how many people will be able to take advantage of the careful reopening, as Japan plans to double the daily entry limit, but only up to 20,000.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has said he wants to ease border control measures, but moves are expected to move slowly, with strong public support for current restrictions.
Japan hosted a record 31.9 million foreign visitors in 2019 and was well on its way to reaching its 40 million target by 2020 before the pandemic hit.