It's been murmurs of xenophobia and a hatred for foreign visitors lately, rather than cherry blossom, which dominates travel headlines about Japan at this time of year. Even as the world reopened, Japan was not open.
It was only a matter of time before Japan responded after South Korea loosened travel restrictions.
Travel to Japan will change from April 8th of 2022. The Japanese Government will end long standing travel bans on Friday. It is an exciting change, but not without its quirks or limitations.
Welcome to travel in 2022.
The news before you go and grab the next flight isn't as exciting as you might think. Travel for the purpose of tourism is not included in the plans. Travel bans may be over, but that doesn't mean you can go.
There will be no blanket arrival bans on travel to Japan from 106 countries from April 8th, 2022.
Travelers from the US, UK and much of Europe will be able to enter from this date if they want to visit the beloved North Asian country.
That doesn't mean tourists. At least for now. Visitor numbers will still be capped at 10,000 per day.
During this period, visas will be mostly restricted to business people, students and trainees, and will require a visa in advance. A desire to see cherry blossom while eating ramen on a picnic blanket won't get you in, yet.
For now, tourists are out. For how long?
There is contrasting news coming out of Japan.
The outbound travel advisories for 106 countries were lowered by Japan a few days ago. The people who are allowed to enter Japan won't change despite the new notice from the government, according to the Japan Times.
This raises the question of whether there are actually plans to allow tourists from these 106 countries. Limits on visas may be a factor. The key hold up is requiring visas.
It's hard to say what to make of the changes, but it's likely that they represent a very bureaucratic shift in recognition, or the accidental preview of new travel plans to come. It might not be long at all if it is the latter.
As reopening country plans began to accelerate, there were rumors that Japan would eventually take some level of action on border restrictions. Asia was the last to move in the global reopening game.
Increased pressure on Japan was added by Cambodia, Vietnam, and Malaysia in a series of weeks. The stakes went even higher when South Korea joined them.
The country responded by removing travel bans on 106 countries. With the most risk averse approach in mind. It might have been a mistake to leak it.
Even though these new restrictions are far from test free, movement of any kind is significant. The measures pave the way for tourism.
My guess? By September. I would be happy to spend 48 hours in Osaka, Tokyo or Kyoto at that time of year.
The Japanese public has been supportive of border measures. According to recent polls, more than half of the Japanese public liked the measures in place. The changes may not be popular in the US, but they could prove to be a key step in reopening international travel.
A reopening of a broad tourism could happen soon.
Japan will close its doors to visitors from all over the world in a matter of hours. Japan will bar entry to anyone who has been in 70 countries within 14 days of their arrival on April 3rd, 2020.
Travel News.
If there is one word that is starting to become really annoying, it is. You will either be asked to stay in your home indefinitely or not travel indefinitely. News around the world in recent hours, minutes and days shows that many temporary travel bans are being extended indefinitely.
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Half your next trip will be paid for by Japan. The number of international arrivals in Japan fell 99.99 percent in April, the first time since 1964 that the number has fallen. For a country.
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