Japan to Remove COVID-Related Border Restrictions in May

 

Foreign travellers won't have to cope with COVID-related border restrictions anymore starting on May 8, according to Japanese officials.

Next month, the nation's final coronavirus protocols will be dropped, the National Tourism Organisation of Japan reports, meaning that visitors won't need to show a current vaccination record or a COVID-19 test result certificate.

Currently, visitors to the island nation must provide confirmation of up-to-date vaccinations or a negative test result obtained within 72 hours of departure. 

Japan has gradually resumed admitting foreign visitors, first doing so through guided tour companies last year. However, a number of rule changes caused confusion and stymied the country's tourist industry's recovery.

Japan removed its daily entry cap on tourist arrivals and reopened to visa-free travel in October, making it simpler for travellers to arrange their own vacations.

The Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare of Japan likewise abolished mask regulations last month, but it continues to advise tourists and residents to use masks when necessary, such as on "crowded commuter trains and buses."

The authorities of the nation revealed a strategy in February to expand overnight stays in regional Japan by 10% by 2025. The objectives also call for greater tourist spending, with an eye towards attaining $1,500 per person over the following two years.

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