After banning all non-nationals or residents from entering from March 2020, Japan has recently sent signals that it intends to gradually reopen its tourism sector. When the omicron spiked, the country stopped allowing business visitors and students to enter with prearranged visas.
The Japan Tourism Agency issued a press release today stating that small groups of tourists from the United States, Australia, Thailand, and Singapore would be allowed to enter later this month.
These small groups would not be allowed to roam freely but need to follow the tour operator's strict schedule and guidance and can only visit sights in prefectures that have agreed to receive them. Visitors are required to have health insurance.
The Prime Minister recently promised that the country would reopen for visitors, but the exact schedule is still unknown.
The cap on international arrivals will be raised to 20,000 in June, including both Japanese and non-nationals.
You can download a PDF.
You can download the PDF.
Conclusion.
Even non-nation residents were not allowed to return to Japan for months after the country reopened for international visitors.
Japan is the only Western nation that hasn't fully opened by now and is in the same boat as mainland China, Macao, and Hong Kong.
It's hard to see Japan reopening completely in June when they only double the daily arrivals cap. The Prime Minister's party would probably not want to allow visitors before the election in July.
I didn't visit Japan during the hot and humid summer months because I enjoyed my time in the country for six months in 2020.
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