Japan, Singapore to resume short-term business travel from Sept 18

Japan is also in talks with Australia, Brunei, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Mongolia, New Zealand and South Korea

Please...NOT China!

Short-term business travel? You're going to need to spend 2 weeks in quarantine! Who on earth on a short-term visit is going to want to isolate themselves for a fortnight?

And I'm assuming people need to take a test before coming? How easy is it to take a test in Japan? And what makes the government think it will be any easier taking a test abroad?

And you can't take public transport? Good luck with that when you arrive at Narita, one of the most secluded airports in the world.

If you don't want foreigners coming, just say so. Don't pretend to be doing something so the rest of the world stops criticizing you.

Japan is also in talks with Australia, Brunei, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Mongolia, New Zealand and South Korea to ease travel restrictions

Just leave China out - for the time being at least!

Unless you really believe they stopped the spread miraculously - then go ahead.

It clearly says no quarantine.. High time they started relaxing travel restrictions. Eventually this craziness will have to end even if we continue to see cases.

China is less risky than the US by far.

I wouldn’t go home now if I could, which I can’t.

Now that residents are finally able to re-enter, I wish Japan could start thinking about easing restrictions on new expatriates (with work visa permits) from everywhere not just these countries... it's been more than six months already and we're still stuck without being able to start our jobs. It's really tough and the more we wait the the scarier it gets because our companies can't wait forever. I say this here hoping that someone might hear our voices. No one talks about us.

Wow, I have to say, I’m pleasantly surprised. I guess I shouldn’t be so surprised, considering that Koike eased the alert level down one level. I guess she wasn’t jumping the gun after all. Either that, or the national government is following her policy.

There area misleading information. The news mentioned Japan is open for long term resident, but when do apply for long term resident visa (eg those with working visa) only 7 categories of personnel are eligible to apply for visa. Those professors, instructors, and researchers are still bar from visa application.

You're going to need to spend 2 weeks in quarantine! Who on earth on a short-term visit is going to want to isolate themselves for a fortnight?

Hmmmm......very first paragraph!

*Tokyo has decided to allow the entry of businesspeople without requiring a 14-day self-isolation period *

Guess you didnt read the article huh?

If they are allowing business travellers to enter without quarantining, you should let foreign residents do the same. What would make life much easier for many foreigners, residents or business people, is to ditch the unnecessary departure test. Testing on arrival should be enough, it is for Japanese citizens.

Logically, in terms of controlling the virus it doesn't make any sense to go ahead and allow the business track (business trips, no quarantine) but still block the residence track (long-term workers, with quarantine). According to a person in Singapore waiting to process her CoE, though, apparently Singapore is already letting in new work visa holders, so this announcement is really only benefiting Japanese short-term business travelers. For every 10 Japanese travelling to Singapore I wonder if there is even 1 Singaporean traveling to Japan for business. Completely one-sided arrangement.

I just got my CoE and waiting for Hong Kong-Japan travel bubble to be announced so I can officially process my work visa. I am an internal transfer and can sit on my hands for the next year if needed, but thousands of CoE holders were supposed to start new jobs from April and they are still waiting in limbo. Many of them have had to cut their losses and just get on with life.

Lived 11 years straight in Japan. Worked hard, made a family,bought property etc. Have never tried for residentship since i was changing jobs, got married, changed visa status here and there.

This February i had enough savings and time to have a break so i quit my job found a new one and got the visa sponsorship. I told them i will be starting from summer and came back to my hometown to pass the spring. Received my CoE right away since i have enough experience in JP life getting a visa sponsor was never hard for me.

Then guess what , im sitting on my stuck-up ass with this CoE in my hand straight 5 months now.

Away from where i called home...