The country had locked its borders in the spring of 2020 at the start of the pandemic.
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The return to life before for the archipelago. Japan reopened to foreign tourists on Tuesday, October 11. The country has completely lifted the restrictions that had been in place at its borders for almost two and a half years to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic. Visitors from 68 countries and territories (including the European Union and the United States) have since Tuesday again benefited from a visa exemption for tourist stays in Japan, if they can present proof of vaccination against the virus. Covid-19 or a negative test carried out less than three days before departure.
The country, which welcomed a record 31.9 million foreign visitors in 2019 and hoped for 40 million the following year, when the Tokyo Olympics were originally scheduled to take place, locked its borders in spring 2020 at the start of the pandemic. In 2021, less than 250,000 foreign visitors were able to set foot on Japanese soil and the Tokyo Olympics were held virtually behind closed doors.
Japan’s drastic closure to international visitors, including for a time students and business travelers, was a measure popular at home but criticized abroad. The Japanese government had opened the door to tourists since June, but only on organized tours. This device had been lightened at the beginning of September to authorize individual stays, but still via a travel agency.
New arrivals will have to adapt to sanitary habits that are still very rigorous in Japan, where wearing a mask is systematic in transport and shops, and observed by many, including outdoors.