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Japan expands daily arrival cap to 20,000 as COVID fears recede

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Until pre-departure testing is scrapped, it's a solid no from me.

Absolutely, unless it is a strong necessity. Everything could be fine but we are still having people getting stuck abroad because they would test positive 72H before taking the plane and unsure when they can come back to Japan. Why would you take that risk for vacations ?

That being said, I think it is the same situation for US that require pre-testing as well.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

Anyway, unvaxxed Canadians can’t travel, 

Unless you mean Canadians can't leave Canada.

But Japan's vax entry requirements were also removed today (its just not mentioned in article)

SE Asia is a big place with a lot of vibrant cultures, exotic sites and interesting people. Many are open or opening to proper 'free-range' tourism in June with only jab and mask requirements

Covid travel insurance is required for most SE Asia. I understand Japan intends to do so too

6 ( +8 / -2 )

As a lifelong Japanophile it saddens me to see Japan's soft power and image taking such a beating. No doubt Japan can do whatever it wants and noone is questioning it's sovereignty however that is no excuse for throwing foreigners under the bus. Lest we forget even permanent residents were suddenly banned from returning for many months and lives and dreams of so many young students damaged not to mention all the stress and anxiety they were subjected to until very recently. Japan took decades to rebuild it's image after horrors of WW2 yet somehow ruined alot of that goodwill in few years. It's a pity that's all I can say.

6 ( +22 / -16 )

Better than Shanghai

there’s always that

6 ( +9 / -3 )

Many Japanese tourists at these places are retired and elderly, basically, at risk group.

But aren't they vaxxed? Are we now saying that the tourist ban is to protect unvaccinated residents? I know vaccinated people can still get Covid, but if you're saying that the world should shut down, even with everyone vaccinated, thats just absurd. At risk residents will always be at risk of contracting something.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

This must be the world's most expensive school trip, being frog-marched from government approved tourist site to government approved tourist site in small groups.

Let Japan organise itself as it wishes. SE Asia is a big place with a lot of vibrant cultures, exotic sites and interesting people. Many are open or opening to proper 'free-range' tourism in June with only jab and mask requirements. Spread your wings and check back on Japan every few months to see if the penny has dropped on what 'endemic' means. Maybe 2023. Maybe later.

4 ( +24 / -20 )

How many daily entrants are they averaging now? I can't find the number, but I think that's a significant factor. If it's currently below 10,000, then who cares about this new pledge. If they are currently turning people away or very near 10,000, then that's a different story.

They could say "Japan to allow up to 1 million daily arrivals! Look, we're being reasonable about Covid now!", but that would obviously be lip service.

Is 20,000 lip service? No story ever seems to tell us how many people are coming in daily now.

As for Covid testing on arrival (or soon a lack thereof), I'm good with that. However, looking at what it's gonna cost to get my whole family tested stateside before we leave, I'd almost prefer they do it over there instead so I don't have to pay!

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Still nothing about dropping pcr tests for tripple jabbed people. What is the delay?

4 ( +10 / -6 )

But it is likely to take some time for the country to reopen its borders to individual tourists as concern lingers within the government over the potential resurgence of infections ahead of the House of Councillors election slated for this summer.

Once again the future careers of politicians take precedence over the lives of the people they should be serving.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

If the choice is a guided tour in Japan or holiday anywhere else in Asia or Europe...... Japan will still be here in 5 years, and still wearing masks..

4 ( +16 / -12 )

Still nothing about dropping pcr tests for tripple jabbed people. What is the delay?

Tripple jabbed people can still get covid.

4 ( +9 / -5 )

@Bronco

As of June 1st, unvaxxed Canadian residents of Japan can enter Japan without a test or quarantine, exactly the same as if they were quardruple vaxxed.

No. Pre-travel testing within 72 hours of departure is still required.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Japan has not really opened up to tourists yet, still in the testing process.

That's i why there are only a few small test tour groups at present.

Cap basically is for everyone else not tourist

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Due to global economy crunch there may be a lot less people inclined to travel for leisure now.

But because of strength of other currencies vs the yen Japan may be a lot more attractive tourist destination now

2 ( +3 / -1 )

JGov has done a lot of damage to the tourist industry with their dithering paranoia .

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Apart from East Asian visitors, Japan was always a niche destination. That kind of tourist doesn't like being herded around. It's going to be a fair while before there is any noticeable tourist presence.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

@Ian, have you seen the scenes in the UK? It’s taking 8 hours to get into the airport and hundreds of flights delayed because of the sheer amount of people travelling for leisure

@Rain Man

Good to know.

I understand most people have been itching to travel for a long time now, just saying maybe a lot maybe reconsidering because of the economy crunch and that it probably makes Japan a more attractive destination.

It shows in the frustration being shown by many posters getting turned off by still inplace restrictions.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

As of June 1st, unvaxxed Canadian residents of Japan can enter Japan without a test or quarantine, exactly the same as if they were quardruple vaxxed.

Good news for me. Quadruple unvaxxed.

0 ( +8 / -8 )

Tripple jabbed people can still get covid.

forth jabbed people can still catch and spread the virus.

0 ( +7 / -7 )

i live in Japan and am personally glad Canada is holding back citizens who refuse to get vaxxed. Good job Justin. Keep your looneys at home

-1 ( +20 / -21 )

By looney I mean the Canadian dollar just to clarify

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

Doesn’t matter if they remove the arrival cap completely, if tourists can only come on guided tours chased around by disinfectant-spraying guides watching their every move, it doesn’t make any difference. What about my mum who just wants to come and see her grandchildren she’s never met? And no, she can’t come and visit on a special visa to visit close family members as some have suggested on here. These “tours” are nothing but a paranoid, xenophobic, hysterical circus performed for a nation of people afraid of their own shadows.

-1 ( +9 / -10 )

I haven't been able to travel to Japan since 2019 to see my girlfriend, yet she can meet me anywhere else in the world.............

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

But it is likely to take some time for the country to reopen its borders to individual tourists as concern lingers within the government over the potential resurgence of infections ahead of the House of Councillors election slated for this summer.

So the Japanese people should suffer huge economic losses so the government gets reflected?

Vote them out…

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

a little progress,still slow as usual but yes..progress

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

*But aren't they vaxxed? Are we now saying that the tourist ban is to protect unvaccinated residents? *I know vaccinated people can still get Covid...

That is exactly the point.

Because even you are vaccinated you can get Covid, you can get sick and you can spread it.

Therefore many people do not really care anymore about the vaccination status.

If you are vaccinated or not, you can get it, can get sick and can spread it.

In my company, just 1 week ago, two staff got Covid positiv and they are now at home for recovery.

But nobody shows any interest in their vaccination status.

They got Covid, stay home, recover and that's it.

If somebody around you got Covid are you curious about this person's vaccination status?

I don't think so.

This person is positiv, vaccinated or not, and he or she can give it to you.

So even if the positive person is vaccinated or not vaccinated, you will take the same care for yourself to get not infected.

Or do you say, no problem this positive person is vaccinated, so I can not get it?

I don't think so.

In my opinion, because we all know that vaccinated people can also spread the virus, it makes no sense to make a difference between the unvaccinated and the vaccinated for entry rules.

What makes sense is to do a Covid test before entering and if positive go to quarantine and wait until you are negative.

-2 ( +6 / -8 )

This hostile attitude towards tourists will return to Japan. just a fool spends thousands of dollars to go in a guarded group like in North Korea. This xenophobic approach is quite obvious. you just don't want tourists there. An alien is an enemy to you. In my country today, there are 300 people. in Japan tens of thousands ...... You really think I can endanger you. Destroy yourself. I don't want to go to Japan anymore. I am going to Egypt where I will be welcomed and entertained. and they will be grateful for every dollar I spend there ............. JAPAN? NO THANK YOU!!!

-3 ( +19 / -22 )

Just go and have your summer elections and let us know when you want to welcome visitors agan. Until then, plenty of other places around the world to enjoy while Japan is full of...

-3 ( +11 / -14 )

I don't want to go to Japan anymore. I am going to Egypt where I will be welcomed and entertained. and they will be grateful for every dollar I spend there ............. JAPAN? NO THANK YOU!!!

Tired of people outside of Japan jumping on here to bash it then people living here pat them on the back for it. Remimds me of the NZ person jumping on here 2 years ago saying NZ is a far superior country because of lockdowns and border closures and Japanese people were living life as usual. People are bandwagoners depending on the way the media or other posters sway them.

-3 ( +9 / -12 )

June 1st - line around the corner of Japanese nationals trying to get a South Korean tourist visa but none of us can get a tourist visa to Japan

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

No mention of the poor peeps who came to Japan and we gave them covid?

-4 ( +9 / -13 )

@divinda Canadians can’t move inside their own country with a flight, a train or by boat.

also not allowed to fly outside Canada if they are not fully vaccinated, you can read all about this on Peckford42.Wordpress.com or on the Canada government site. 

But they can drive!

this is why I will never return to Canada (I can’t deal with how authoritarian it has become…)

-4 ( +10 / -14 )

OOPs election...

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

With no test and quarantine, these tours will become massive clusters. Remember in infamous cruise liner? One person on one bus could infect 30 people, with symptoms not showing up for three days to two weeks. That could be 10000 infected tourists a day wandering around tourists sites frequented by japan tourists, usually busy with no chance of social distancing. Many Japanese tourists at these places are retired and elderly, basically, at risk group.

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

concern lingers within the government over the potential resurgence of infections ahead of the House of Councillors election slated for this summer.

At least they mentioned the real reason these xenophobic restrictions have been left in place so long! Hurry up erection!

-5 ( +7 / -12 )

Guided tours.

Like North Korea

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

No question, once Japan fully opens up the country will be absolutely flooded with tourists. Mainly due to the incredibly weak currency, Japan is now dirt cheap for tourists.

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

But I think many Japanese people will resent the tsunami of tourists. Thy are struggling with a very high inflation rate and stagnant or falling wages and salaries. Seeing all these tourists freely spending on, for them, very cheap goods and services, will not go down well.

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

Japan expands daily arrival cap to 20,000 as COVID fears recede

Who's still afraid of Covid in Japan? Are they sure it's Covid they're actually afraid of or something, somone else?

-8 ( +4 / -12 )

GO JAPAN !!..

-11 ( +3 / -14 )

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