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Japan eyes ending COVID border control measures on Saturday

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do overseas tourists want to come during GW? which has no relevance outside Japan. and is one of the most expensive times here!

so they are 'eying' this move, ummm.... two days in advance. that's what I call foresight! (^_-)

11 ( +17 / -6 )

This border control was kept too long and medically irrelevant since we have learnt vaccines do not prevent infection

7 ( +18 / -11 )

@diagonalslip: Tourists neither know nor care its Golden Week, and inbound flights have been rammed for weeks. There is barely a seat available on overseas flights even though Japanese leaving the country is 70% down on 2019. With the yen as weak as it is and pent up demand for trips still strong it is extremely relevant.

Oh, please @Bronco. Your constant whining about equality has become a whimper, 99% of people complied without complaint and the system had become so streamlined in the last couple of months it was easy and had become the norm.

-8 ( +8 / -16 )

Discriminatory policies based on medical choices (especially when they have zero effect on anyone else) are always ethically wrong and goes against a person's human rights.

Shame on everyone that went along with this. Forever bow your heads in shame.

6 ( +14 / -8 )

Guess they realize they can't handle the surge of travelers returning the 6th and 7th. Always thought it was ridiculous they'd chose the Monday after GW to change it, suspected it was to intentionally once again punish people who dare to travel overseas. Certainly had enough of that over the past couple of years.

9 ( +11 / -2 )

@Bronco - I am clearly talking about complying with travel requirements. As per the topic. This article was NOT about vaccinations.

-5 ( +5 / -10 )

@Kaowaiinekochanknaw

Seeing friends and family was a lot more important than protesting against a little bit of paperwork to travel easily. I'm holding my head up high.

-4 ( +7 / -11 )

Seeing friends and family was a lot more important than protesting against a little bit of paperwork to travel easily. I'm holding my head up high.

I travelled to see friends and family too. But protest is an important factor in any free democracy right?

However I was discriminated against people of the same possible infection and transmission status and had to pay for tests that they didn't - hence the discriminatory part of it.

Before that. No one was allowed in our out unless a National. Not just Japan mind you. Many countries upheld ridiculous and discriminatory border polices.

12 ( +15 / -3 )

Hurry up Japan you've lost your credibility anyway but the sooner you drop the stupid rules the faster you can dig yourself out of your self created hole!

-3 ( +13 / -16 )

Good news that Japanese government have finally recognized what the majority of logical people did 2 years ago - that the intravenous measures didn't work. And yet, there was no debate allowed in the public square, we just had to trust our politicians (and this website) that the mandates were medically and scientifically sound because we weren't doctors and apparently they knew better.

Will anyone be held accountable for the untruths?

5 ( +9 / -4 )

Remind me, which countries refused entry to unvaccinated people?

Not sure if serious. At one point, the majority of them.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Really?

Really. At one point, the only international destinations I could travel to was Mexico, or countries with an AK-47 on their flag.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

It's about time, but I hope they let people turn the seats around on express trains so 4 people can sit together. Open boarders means tourism can thrive again!

Vax or no vax, we all have to be treated the same.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

In 2021 I read the nomenclature for the MRNA vaccines, and it specifically stated “…may not prevent the infection or transmission of the novel coronavirus.” This being the case, I wondered what was the point of vaccine passports or proof of vaccination for travel. I also wondered why what were clearly therapeutic medications were being called “vaccines,” shortly after which the definition of the word “vaccine” was changed so as to include these drugs.

We knew almost immediately after the “vaccines” were released that the fine print in the drug companies’ fine print was true, that they did not prevent the transmission of COVID. Yet governments around the world continued to enact vaccine requirements for travel.

Most people (myself included) don’t like to admit they were or are wrong, but governments are much slower than people to admit wrongdoing.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

@Jay: What a load of old rubbish.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

Discrimination happens when you are treated differently because of a characteristic you have. You were treated differently because of a personal choice you made. That is not discrimination. Stop whining.

Are you saying that people who have made a choice, for example to undergo transgender reassignment, cannot be discriminated against?

2 ( +5 / -3 )

SanjinosebleedToday  09:35 am JST

Hurry up Japan you've lost your credibility anyway but the sooner you drop the stupid rules the faster you can dig yourself out of your self created hole!

Not quite sure how any credibility has been lost. Every flight in and out of Japan is literally packed,, MOSTLY with touriists. Everything just fine here Sanji.

Does make me laugh how all the anti-vaxxers are out on this one when the requirements have been dropped one week early. Do you feel the need to whine THAT much? I mean, really? Discrimimation? You clearly don't know what the word means. For a small period there was a time when only Nationals could go in or out, but after that for the majority of the time the only way in was with a negative PCR (vax status was irrelevant) - and a negative PCR has always been one of the choices since. So, what changed?

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

@Bronco: But this abolishment of entry requirements ti Japan was announced ages ago -its been moved by ONE week and you see this as some type of vindication for your 'cause' I really don't see what the problem was, OR his having to take a PCR test to enter a country if required.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Yes, I suspected that the antivax crowd would see this move as vindication

There is no "anti-vax crowd," at least not one to seriously speak of.

There is a "vaccination should be a choice" crowd -- but unfortunately, we too often get labeled "anti-vax."

People should be free to either get vaccinated, or to not get vaccinated.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

This border control was kept too long and medically irrelevant since we have learnt vaccines do not prevent infection

Exactly. We all know people who have gotten at least the 3 jabs that Japan has thus far required -- and yet who have still gotten the COVID subsequent to the 3 jabs. Some even more than once.

The 72-hour testing requirement actually makes a lot more sense than the 3-jab requirement.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

1) good

2) about time

3 ( +3 / -0 )

That explains why the air fare prices have MORE than DOUBLED.

Pass, see you on the beach in Thailand, AGAIN.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I fly to Japan on May 1st and have a rapid pcr test booked before I fly. It would be great news if this story was confirmed quickly. I am sure I am Covid negative but would be relieved to have the element of uncertainty removed. The thought of waiting since March 2020 for Borders to re-open and then being turned away at the airport ... It would also spare me from having to arrive at Heathrow 10 hours before my flight to get the test done. I look forward to JT updating this story with confirmation.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

@Gareth Myles: Check Kyodo later today. That was the source and they are effectively a Government mouthpiece, anything printed in there is effectively decided already in lieu of an official press release.

By the way,a Rapid PCR test wouldn't have been sufficient in any case and you might well have been turned away.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Roy Sophveason Apr. 27  08:19 am JST

When was the last time you saw an advertisement to get vaccinated, a news article about the government asking for you to, or received a letter from your municipality on the matter?

Pfizer has been pretty aggressively advertising their product in Japan. Their ads are common on YouTube and various radio stations here in Osaka.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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