Japan is Set to Fully Welcome Independent Travelers Once Again

For the first time since the pandemic began, foreign visitors who have received at least one booster dose (or present a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of departure) can now explore Japan freely without supervision.

The new guidelines, effective from October 11, mark a cautious progression for a nation that has enforced some of the strictest travel restrictions during the pandemic.

Any independent traveler—not just those in approved groups, as permitted since June 10, or through a travel agent since September 7—can now enter and navigate the country at their leisure. This announcement was made by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on September 22 in Central Park, New York City. He also revealed the removal of the daily tourist cap and the discontinuation of visa requirements imposed during the pandemic.

What has changed regarding travel to Japan?

Japan has approached the reopening for visitors with caution. It wasn't until June 10 of this year that a limited number of travelers (initially capped at 20,000 per day, which increased to 50,000 this month) from 98 countries, including the United States, were permitted to enter.

The announcement of the country's full reopening came just two weeks after a previous revision of entry rules that eliminated the requirement for visitors to present a negative pre-departure COVID-19 test, register with authorities, obtain a QR code for immigration, and secure travel insurance. Additionally, visitors, in a move deemed unpopular, had to join an organized tour. These regulations were in place from June 10, when Japan first welcomed visitors after over two years of pandemic restrictions, until September 7.

As of September 7, foreign visitors could enter Japan if they had received at least one booster shot and were accompanied by a travel agent. Although this was promoted as a relaxation of the group tour requirement, it often proved to be a complicated process that required clearance through a Japanese travel agent, usually involving significant fees or commissions.

Business groups both within Japan and abroad have urged the country to relax its border restrictions to aid the economy, particularly the tourism sector, which has suffered greatly during the pandemic (the yen has fallen to its lowest value against the U.S. dollar in over twenty years). Nonetheless, many Japanese citizens remain cautious about loosening border controls further, as the nation continues to face a seventh wave of infections.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.