Japan to ask travelers from U.S. to self-quarantine for 14 days

And the request to quarantine won’t start for three days. WTH?

So if a relative of an American residing in Japan dies is the states, the American cannot go to the funeral? Possibly cannot return home to Japan if they can go? Shameful

Too late for that! Should have been done earlier!

My daughter who is overseas studying at UCLA for a year has just been ordered to return

back to Japan by her Uni over here.

With the la k of testing over here it feels a bit like jumping out of the pan and into the you know what!

Japan is set to ask travelers from the United States to self-quarantine for 14 days after their arrival to contain the spread of the new coronavirus, a government source said Sunday.

Ask?

During the two-week period, such travelers will be required to stay in designated places such as their homes or hotels and avoid use of public transportation, the source said.

Require?

Make up your minds!

What they SHOULD do, they dont want to, because the government here does not want to be strict with tourists!

Do it like Singapore, have unannounced checks by the police, use face time or line and require them to take photos "real time" of where they are, have daily temperature checks and have them pay for their accommodations as well.

If they dont follow the stipulations, deport them immediately, and dont give them a chance to return for at least 10 years!

Not sure what's happening here...countries, especially Japan, still trying to make some money by allowing tourists to continue to enter the country, while other countries have closed their borders. It's pandemic mode...close off all borders as best you can and deal with the problems nationally. I personally think every country with different rules is exacerbating the pandemic.

I'm curious to know how this requirement would apply to members of the U.S. military under the Status of Forces Agreement, who would normally come and go from stateside leave or assignment rotation. We are probably looking at dozens, if not hundreds of people every week.

In NZ (where I come from) before the travel restrictions were put in place on non citizens/residents, tourists were also asked to self quarantine. There were a few known instances of them not doing that, and they were swiftly deported. In addition, the NZ police are making random visits of tourists at the location they said they would be quarantining, and if not there without a valid excuse, are also being deported.

@NCIS

A significant point to make. I assume that the personnel are exempted from the restrictions. Their entry and exist on non-commercial flight at own local airbases cannot be intervened by Japanese authorities. A large number of US servicemen, family members are stationed across the country. It's crucial and should be addressed in a session at Diet.

All very confusing.  Travellers from EU and UK were being turned away on Saturday.  No quarantine option offered.  Told that their visas were invalid or that the visa waiver had been suspended.

I heard at the airport they ask you how you will get to your quarantine place and they wont let you take the bus or train so you just tell them you are renting a car and they say fine. I am sure most people then take the bus with no checks to stop this. Typical laziness and lack of care from the authorities.

I am sure so many returnees will be bringing back the virus from overseas so get ready for the second wave.

In the meantime Japanese are crowding into event halls, social gatherings and crowding Hanami viewing areas. I guess Japanese are the only ones in the world immune to the CoronaVirus.

" ...... to ask travelers from the United States to self-quarantine for 14 days...."

So what if they refuse? I mean sure you can ask, but what if they don't comply?

Make it an entry ban right from the beginning so people know what's going on!

In English, request just doesn’t cut it. In Japanese Goenryo Kudasai ご遠慮ください is the equivalent of DO NOT though it means to refrain from doing something. Japanese expressions can also be “thank you for your cooperation in social distancing.” It’s effective because people here don’t need to be hit over the head with a tire iron like in some countries in order to make a point. The meaning is clear enough.

That said, people in Tokyo do not sense the urgency because of the lower number of infections. Though graduation ceremonies are canceled, hundreds crowd together to take photos today.

Other students who don't live near Tokyo will have much harder times because they cannot take domestic flights after arriving in Japan from the US and may have to quarantine at a hotel near the airport for 2 weeks at their own cost. Damn.

It’s very loose here, at least at Narita Airport. Once you get past customs, you can choose bus or train to get into the Capital like you normally do, no questions asked.

Can you say, "Double-Standard"?

We all most certainly know that when Japanese people die, they have the funeral within a week. So if a Japanese family returns to Japan to attend the funeral, they may not be able to do so? Nah, I think they'll look the other way.

If the U.S decides to do the same, Japan's govt. would be up in arms.

I am curious to know more though. America's TSA will turn out someone's urn in the name of security. That's why many families drive the deceased's ashes to the cemetery if out of state. Not sure what it would be like on an international flight.

Anyway, this article tells us one clear thing indirectly though. The 2020 Olympics will definitely be postponed. Nobody is going to attend if they have to self-quarantine for 14 days prior to attending any Olympics events. Hotels most likely don't have vacancies to implement such a rule anyway.

Making people who potentially have the Corona virus stay confined to their hotel is almost the equivalent to the cruise ship in Yokohama.

Oh wait, they would have to stay in their room and order room service for 14 days? Hey, I have a better idea! How about a padded cell? You are going to go crazy locked in a hotel room for 14 days.

Here's what will most likely happen. Welcome to Japan. Nippon Yokoso! Now stay in your hotel. You can't go anywhere for 14 days. AHHHH.....NO! I'll just take the Shinkansen to Osaka, stuff myself in a music instrument case and leave the country.

@Wakarimasen: Whats's confusing? There was a 3 day notice period that those without residence permits (valid gaijin card) - i.e. working visas/PR etc. would be turned away as the Visa Waiver had been suspended for those from the EU and Schengen area. Also all new Visas cancelled, so if you had got your working Visa but were yet to enter the country also turned away. The Visa Waiver could be applied just as quickly to other countries to which it applies. Its possible that the USA could withdraw visa waiver travel shortly too. Its a politically effective way to close borders without 'closing' them literally. My comment is no way is supporting any of the 14 day requests etc.

So they turn people away or quarantine them?  Friend of mine had a relative arriving on a study visa.  Rushed to get a booking before the axe came down midnight Friday.  Was told by UK Japanese consulate that as long as he was on a plane before the equivalent of Japan midnight should be ok.  JAL told him the same.  Arrived and was told he had to go home.  No quarantine option allowed.  Totally destroyed all arrangements. 

I know the staff at Immigration are not paid to exercise discretion.  but the rules themselves seem odd.  some countries quarantine, some visa waivers ok others not.

and the lack of proper coordination between consulates, airlines and arrival officers......

To read that folks are being told "please self isolate" but then can get on public transport with no checking is a bit weird also.

“So if a relative of an American residing in Japan dies is the states, the American cannot go to the funeral? Possibly cannot return home to Japan if they can go? Shameful”

Very unfortunate, but it could mean one funeral less.

At the moment, the wisest thing would be a complete flight ban from the USA.

They asked tourists in NZ to do that and do you think many bothered? Except, NZ did checks and actually deported a lot of them. After that they soon disallowed all tourists coming full stop.

Japan: you're welcome to come, but please self isolate, and so sorry for causing you any inconvenience.

Really???? All international airports should be closed to tourism already.

If people are that clueless and still fly without prior consultation during time like this, they deserve getting turned away

Are those people still fingerprinted one after another? Anyone from immigration disinfect after each person ? Or maybe is time to stop doing it at least for residents.

What would happen if I sprayed on it before use? Would I be in trouble ?

By the way, they asked for self isolation. Does this mean they are free to travel in public transport and then enter hotels or airbnb and then stay there?

They can just say they plan to do hanami and ignore the request.

I reckon they should be demanding all those idiots who attended hanami viewing in parks to self-isolate for 14 days too.

@EuroJP

It would be good practice to just sanitize your hands afterwards, no?

Do the hustle: "I reckon they should be demanding all those idiots who attended hanami viewing in parks to self-isolate for 14 days too."

B-b-b-b-b-but that's different! Just is!

Hypothetically, I plan to visit Japan for 3 weeks. I arrive and am requested, even urged to quarantine. I already have planned this trip for some time, so I have a few days in Tokyo, a few days in Osaka, etc. This has been my dream trip for some time. I want to see the sights, enjoy the experience. What harm will it do if I go out with Mr. Holly for a few drinks at an Izakaya in Shimbashi after strolling around Ginza all Sunday afternoon. I don't feel sick, didn't feel sick on the flight here, so why should I stay in the hotel room for 2 weeks? See where I'm going? Ban travel altogether. Most people still think and act like my above scenario, so why do we need to exacerbate the situation with visitors?

@holypolly

Exactly. That's what we are sayn'.

Seems Abe doesn't have the balls to implement a proper blanket BAN. might offend the Americans and Europeans, in particular.

Notuce how they no qualms in shutting down tourism from Korea/China. They had the "self-isolate" policy for just a few days from those countries, before introducing a full ban.

Is Japan going to have one policy for China/Korea (where cases have stabilised) and one for others?

Considering how out of control it is in the US now, you'd think nobody from that region would be allowed in. But, no.

Honestly, I'd rather see nationwide testing of doctors and healthcare workers (as well as teachers and childcare workers) than blanket bans on US tourists.

You mention this to people here and the response is almost always that it would be far too expensive. When you say that dead people are cheaper, they suddenly cut the conversation off.

Darned if you do, darned if you don't, such is life for Japan.

Put in place minimal restrictions if any for coronavirus, people will complain that Japan didn't do enough, too little, too late.

Put in stricter restrictions like most of the world, then people will complain and nitpick about relatives not being able to attend funerals and whatnot.

Tora: "Seems Abe doesn't have the balls to implement a proper blanket BAN. might offend the Americans and Europeans, in particular."

It's less about his lack of balls and more about not having to give back any of the money they spent on hotels and transportation, etc., in advance. Remember, Abe has somewhat successfully pushed to bolster tourism in Japan for a number of years, he can't very well not ask you to come, and then especially not while the Olympics are still in limbo. Once they are postponed, you'll see the government start to take the issue more seriously.