Japan To Lift COVID Quarantine Requirement For Some Visitors

COVID-19 continues to claim lives around the world

In its latest bid to breathe life into a COVID-ravaged economy, the Japanese government has announced it will exempt some travellers and also those legally resident in the country from the 14-day quarantine period currently imposed on all arrivals from overseas.

The leading group set to benefit will be Japanese and non-Japanese residents in possession of legal resident permits.

No restrictions will be put in place on nationalities or the country from which these individuals can arrive from.

Tokyo

In addition, Japan’s new Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, in looking to give a boost to the flagging national economy, currently has his government preparing for the relaxation of measures for business arrivals from the start of November.

In similar form to residents being allowed back in unhindered, non-Japanese business visitors will also enjoy the same privilege, albeit after submitting detailed itineraries covering the period of their visit.

Tokyo – Japan’s capital

Facts that must be included on the itinerary submitted by business visitors include names of employers, accommodation arrangements, and travel plans covering the period of stay.

No limits will be put in place on nationalities or point from which the arrivals touch down in Japan, although it is understood a limited number of such visitors may be allowed in each day.

This is seen as alleviating increased workloads on airport staff employed at immigration and inspection stations, with the added load of expected itinerary paperwork.

The same measure is already in place for South Korean and Singaporean business visitors and has thus far operated with no reported issues.

Mark Buckton

Mark is a journalism vet of 20 years with most of those years spent in Tokyo, Japan, as a columnist for The Japan Times and numerous other publications. His work has appeared on CNN, in the BBC, NPR, and in several dozen other media forms and publications across five continents.