When can reopening be happening?

The Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics are both over, having been held behind closed doors and without the normal surge of tourism, the Games generate. When will Japan lift its travel ban and reopen it for international tourists? Will borders open in late 2021 or early 2022? These are two common questions among those planning trips to Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and beyond. We monitor foreign visitor advisories, news, states of emergency, vaccine passports, and inoculation progress for answers. New infections have been decreasing dramatically for the last two months, with new daily cases currently at their lowest level in over a year, and still falling. The Japanese government announced on Friday that it will reopen borders for business people and students, starting on Monday. The country will lift the entry ban for business people, students, and technical trainees. For business people who are fully vaccinated, the mandatory self-isolation period will be cut to a minimum of three days. Tourists are outside the scope of the latest move. The state of emergency covering Tokyo and 18 other prefectures was lifted over a month ago, and cases continue to decline. With the country’s election in the rearview mirror, Japan has already set plans in motion to begin its reopening, further relaxing domestic and international travel restrictions. In terms of current travel advisories, Japan has imposed entry bans on over 150 countries including the United States, Canada, all of Europe (including the United Kingdom), and most of Asia. The travel bans are currently in effect indefinitely. Japan has also temporarily suspended visa exemptions, making it necessary to apply for a visa prior to traveling. In other words, reopening to international visitors will be important to the health of Japan’s consumption-driven economy at some point in the not too distant future. However, a necessary prerequisite is the country’s physical health. With that in mind, let’s take a look at current case numbers and vaccinations…

The good news is that Japan is nearing such baseline circumstances and, accordingly, the groundwork is being laid for loosening travel restrictions. Let’s take a look at some of the latest changes as of early November 2021…