Japan business lobby seeks to end quarantine for vaccinated arrivals

It’s about time.

It is simply surreal that coming from Japan with a proof of Japanese vaccination, I can enter France as a tourist, without pcr test and with no quarantine and I even receive a pass online with QR code to access any place that needs one in basically half of the EU; but coming back from France as a Japan resident despite the Japanese vaccination passport and two pcr tests I also need to quarantine 3 days at the hotel (because of variants that are already here in Japan), take a third pcr test and spend another 11 days at home.

Compared to this absurdity, the alcohol ban seems a candidate for the Nobel prize in science.

Please make it happen so we can get on with our lives.

Those vaccinated and testing negative on departure and arrival pose very little danger so shouldn't need to quarantine at all. Just wear a mask as per normal.

It mentions overseas arrivals. Does that mean foreign tourists? Or just residents of Japan who are returning from overseas. Doesn’t seem clear to me

Yup, just do what Canada has been doing since July:

Fully vaccinated + PCR at both ends of the flight = no quarantine

You just check your medical condition with a non-intrusive app daily for 14 days. .

The proposals, which urge the government to be proactive in restarting economic and social activities once the recent resurgence of the coronavirus has abated, were submitted by Masakazu Tokura, chairman of the Japan Business Federation, to Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.

"From your mouth to God's ear". Meanwhile according to Suga's own words, the public should use "self-reliance" in the pandemic and there is no need fro additional direct aid to the public.

If anyone has a doubt you are living in a corporatocracy and corporate entities are far more powerful than the citizens or even the democratically elected representatives..

Those vaccinated and testing negative on departure and arrival pose no danger at all, as they have nothing wrong with them. The border blocks, prefecture blocks and quarantine are political, not medical. You cannot spread something you have not got. It's a virus, not a magical curse. And it is on both sides of almost every border already. It will stabilise on a globally dominant strain, whether imported from abroad or mutating domestically.

I support this so much!!!! 14 days quarantine is ridiculous, not to mention how almost all the world is locked because of the travel restrictions. Open the Borders!!!!! Ease travel restrictions and for God sake, get rid of that stupid 14 day mandatory quarantine!!!. Japan is backward in the handling of covid and vaccine administration. For a developed country, it's shocking.

Not having to quarantine anymore is a good thing, I would be finally able to take my family back home for vacation.

But keidanren, after making absolutely no effort when being asked to promote up to 70% WFH during august, defending the use of fax because of its « high security »…what did they learn from this pandemic ?

Probably nothing so Salarymen Kentaro will probably soon be able to stop using zoom and teams and restart his questionable business trip.

There are many people approved for residence in Japan that can’t get their VISAs printed in their passports because of the entry ban. Students, workers, primarily. The issue is really their inability to come to Japan, rather than the quarantine. While the quarantine is unnecessary if vaccinated and tested, the real issue is these people can’t even enter.

Isn’t it just the tiniest bit hypocritical that Japan is asking countries to allow people traveling from Japan not to be confined to quarantine, yet it’s still a full 14 days in solitary when you arrive back here? Especially when Delta et al are already in Japan. Sort it out!

Being that Japanese citizens and established residents are told to isolate at home when sick with corona, and simply getting a PCR test without symptoms is a bit of an ordeal, I'm curious to see how they intend to manage these with a non-resident visitor who doesn't speak the language.

Also, Japan does not require travel health insurance for visitors. Do they intend to change this?

And upon departure, when a visitor tests positive in the 72-hour departure window (since airlines and their home country will probably require a negative test to fly) what is the plan for managing these people?

@divinda: Think your questions are irrelevant at this point as no one is even talking about reopening the borders no non residents.

@Wobot: The subject is the reopening of borders. Not a platform for your anti-vaxx views. Try again.

So, what is the goal of vaccine passports?

If 80% of the population is vaccinated, including all of the vulnerable, the threat of serious illness or death is basically gone.

If cases start to rise again for some reason, there are other tools used successfully to contain COVID, including those recommended by the Chairman of the Tokyo Medical Association.

Before anyone gets carried away - this is only a request by Keidanren to the Government - Who haven't updates their current quarantine/reentry rules since August 16th.

@Foreigner In Tokyo:

A 'solid understanding' ? Then borders will be closed for the next 10 years.

Foreigner in Tokyo.....

Both variants were discovered at the AIRPORT.

Now we have an organization that wants to dissolve the only real barrier the country has against more variants because of vaccines.

They won't be dissolving any barrier. As you stated those infected were found at the airport because they were tested on arrival. This will still happen. The change is that at present those testing negative on departure and arrival STILL have to quarantine for 14 days. This is unnecessary.

Or how about allowing international flights into cities, other than Tokyo?

I can never understand why it’s always Tokyo = Japan.

There are 46 other prefectures out there.

@qazwsx: Just Citizens and Residents. Don't see Japan even considering opening visa-free tourism (visa waiver) again until next Spring at best. I think new COE holders will be allowed to enter prior to that and also Business travellers.

More than 80 percent of the population will be fully vaccinated within the next two months.

On what planet are they living on??? It is just something that the government said and will never come to becoming reality.

The fact is that the vast majority of people under age of 39 would not even be able to get an appointment in 2 month time, and likely not even this year. WTF are they smoking??? Maybe only in Minato-ku were they given supply to vaccine its population, in areas where normal people live, there is zero access for majority of population.

@Mr. Kipling

They won't be dissolving any barrier. As you stated those infected were found at the airport because they were tested on arrival. This will still happen. The change is that at present those testing negative on departure and arrival STILL have to quarantine for 14 days. This is unnecessary.

What you are overlooking is that if those people who test negative at the airport could have came into contact with those who test positive at the airport. Those people will not be in quarantine while their infection incubates. They may have no or mild symptoms due to their vaccination, but we do not no know who they will come in contact without the quarantine. Thus, the more infectious variants could be allowed to run rampant because there are still a lot of unvaccinated in Japan.

The J-gov will resort to reducing the number of tests even further like now to make things appear safe as a facade.

PS The government isn't reducing the number of tests. They just aren't having a free for all for those who want a test just for the sake of it. Nothing has changed.

But, it should be a free-for-all for anybody who wants the test for any reason.

@Izak Schipper: I think you will be disappointed if you expect such a sudden influx this financial year. I think the most we can expect before next April will be a relaxation in quarantine (as in less days) for citizens and current residents. There is still a cap on international arrivals per day which if doesn't get lifted in time for the Winter (end of Oct-End of March) flight schedules then is unlikely to change until the Summer timetable for next year.

Once the emergency status is over, should japan not start allowing double vaccinated travellers into the country again? It could start with the UK and then to the US. It’s time to start fighting back against covid and to restart normal life..

Good, it is about time Japan opens up back to international workers and students. They all have a valid COE, and are willing to comply with quarentine, masking, and prevention measures. Safety of all is top priority, and I believe this can all be done safely and effectively.

Japan is the last kid on the block to change-it’s not even a surprise anymore…

More than 80 percent of the population will be fully vaccinated within the next two months

Wow!

Amazing!

Very good Job Japan!

Perhaps they are talking about 80 percent of the adult population will have received vaccinations soon ?

Iam very sceptical if these numbers are accurate or truthful.

It's yet another sensational announcement of what is to happen but let's see if Japan can actually make that happen in reality.

And stop pretending to be a highly sophisticated superior nation.

Quarantine requirements well thats a sore topic.

You mean for foriegn nationals and Japanese citizens and tourists as well ?

Or do only Japanese nationals get special privileges above all others because their DNA is supposedly better than everyone else's ?

Numan...

That's true but as they have also been vaccinated and will have been wearing masks the risk of infection is low. There has to be a balance.

Just as someone could get infected at a coffee shop 5 minutes after receiving their negative PCR test result.

PS The government isn't reducing the number of tests. They just aren't having a free for all for those who want a test just for the sake of it. Nothing has changed.

80% ? That’s maybe the optimism version on paper. lol Try to multiply vaccinated rate, vaccine efficacy and immunity response rate. Even with their ¥¥¥ and $$$ in the eyes they should come at best into a 20% to 30% range. Recommending harsher , stricter measures would be the way to keep the money flowing in for them. Anyway, they can’t understand and won’t listen… lol

...but only a benefit for Japanese citizens right?

Surely this is unimaginable to permit permanent residents, long-term residents and most of all general non-japan-residential foreigners?

Anything for money.

Does it mean than with negative PCR, the quarantine will still be needed ?

Vaccines are not a guarantee, PCR results are.

They recommend combined proof of COVID-19 vaccination and negative test results for those wishing to, travel across prefectures

No proof, no way to go across a prefecture. This will never be implemented. It will be for trains and planes, as done in France right now.

Japan is just copying what’s done in Europe

they are just copying France that is on strike every day to fight against this totalitarian regime. Go away Keidanren!!!!