After a few months of Omicron-induced lockdowns, countries all over the world are finally opening up again. Now, following in the footsteps of Australia, Thailand and Bali, Japan is beginning to welcome back at least some international travellers, too.
Fumio Kishida, the prime minister, today announced that the country’s strict border restrictions would change on March 1. The cap on people entering the country will rise from 3,500 to 5,000, and this is expected to grow over the coming months. The previous rules were implemented in November in response to rising Omicron cases and are due to expire at the end of February.
If you’re hoping for a holiday, be warned: the looser restrictions will only apply to students, business travellers and those hoping to relocate, with priority given to people with occupations that have clear ‘public benefit’. Schools and companies will have to sponsor individuals hoping to enter, and visitors will have to self-isolate on arrival.
There is some good news, though. The quarantine period has been slashed from seven days to three for anyone who has received a booster and has taken a test that comes back negative. This hopefully means that when leisure travellers are allowed in, they won’t be spending half their trip waiting in a hotel room.
