Japan to begin allowing foreign Olympic athletes' entry next month: Nikkei

This is such bull. Why are they being allowed in while Japan has stopped making new visas to allow families to come together???

How long must I be separated from my husband? It's been over a year.

If they can make exceptions for the athletes, they should make exceptions for reuniting families.

Olympic athletes will not be required to self-isolate for two weeks on arrival...? Why not?

This confirms my belief that the Olympics have become nothing but a corrupt, crass money grab of taxpayer money.

It started at $7 billion and has grown to $25 billion.

The report added that Olympic athletes will not be required to self-isolate for two weeks on arrival to help them prepare for the Games set to begin on July 23, but they must restrict themselves to their accommodation and sports venues.

But Japanese returning from other countries have to self-isolate, either in a dedicated facility, or their place of residence, and are not allowed to use any form of public transportation.

This is a form of discrimination against Japanese people themselves! I personally know some folks that will be returning to Japan from overseas soon, and since they live in Okinawa, they can not get on a domestic flight to "self-isolate" in their residences, so they have to do so in a dedicated facility near Narita.

If anyone thought the Olympics would be cancelled this should dispel that notion. They ARE going ahead with this madness. Get your exit strategy in place.

I approve of this on the condition that Olympic volunteers in high viz jackets follow the athletes around 24/7 to make sure they only go to their accom and sporting venues as "restricted" by the government.

LOL. I can picture it now. 78 year old volunteer Jiro, wearing high viz, in hot pursuit of a group of Kenyans who have gone rogue and ducked into a souvenir shop on the way back to the athletes village.

Athletes do not have to self isolate.

Also, foreign diplomats and J Government officials do not have to quarantine . Airlines pilots and staff do not have to quarantine too, as far as I know

Only commoners returning here Japanese and Foreigners have two endure a two weeks quarantine even after two negative tests.

(though I love sports)

Boycott the Olympics

Seriously? The IOC and the Japanese government are going to go ahead with the postponed Games no matter what. Money before people’s health and lives.

This is how it works in Japan.

Show to the world it’s best Tatemae to keep it’s hospitality mantra but then make life hell for it’s small foreign community showing it’s true colours.

Japan doesn’t want and will never change,unless there might be a huge pressure from the democratic outside world like in the past happened a few times.

Pls note that the Olympic village does not open before July, so the athletes go to training camps all over Japan. Ideal superspreaders.

plus the LOC said earlier that athletes should come late and leave soon after their event. As announced also by IOC and government.

Australian open was a disaster and players do not want to continue the season in this fashion, 6 nations is a mess because of the French teams infections, soccer games are cancelled allover as the music festivals in Europe are cancelled one by one.

Rugby in Japan and j league have just started. Let’s give that 2 weeks and see.

The Olympics in Tokyo would cost many lives. If held

They can come but I'm not going.

they must restrict themselves to their accommodation and sports venues.

And when they don't Japanese authorities are going to do what? NOTHING...just like the state of emergency is just all about "asking", and if you don't follow the "asking" there is no punishment. Preparing for the "Go to grave" campaign as I type this. With the Olympics going forward, Suga and others shortly after the Olympics will be on NHK giving a Deep bow talking about how they "deeply regret" the Olympics...all while they issue another "state of emergency". However, there will be hundreds of thousands of COVID infections, the Gov't will not release the real numbers and claim that "Japan beat the virus", all while people are falling over dead at home, on the streets, etc because the hospitals are overwhelmed.

Olympic athletes from Sudan have been living here for one year.

Weird. Living for a year and a half in another country just so you can compete for 1-2 days when the Olympics comes.

I approve of this on the condition that Olympic volunteers in high viz jackets follow the athletes around 24/7 to make sure they only go to their accom and sporting venues as "restricted" by the government.

Little do they know if they have a serious case of corona they have no place to go. Here's an oximeter and stay in your room. ha

How many ways can you spell dumb & stupid. There is a world-wide pandemic raging. Nary any are vaccinated in Japan. And Olympic athletes are allowed into Japan without quarantine or vaccination. And next month (two days hence) GoToTravel picks up where it left off - a spike in cases of SARSCoC-2. Just excellent. A government In Command, working For-the-People.

Bjorn, examine the science of the pandemic. Which is bountiful in peer reviewed research, by actual scientists and MDs. And look at the number of deaths in places like Italy, Sweden and the U.S. Reflect on recent events in place like New York and L.A., where hospitals were overflowing with SARSCoV-2 patients, shutting down response to other medical concerns. The deaths of healthcare workers. Lack of ventilators. Look, quite simply at China when the pandemic first emerged.

Conducting the Olympics is beyond dumb. The population of Japan, almost ZERO percent are vaccinated. The elderly will not be vaccinated until April. It is a recipe for disaster. All the politicians and responsible individuals should be dismissed from their employ and replaced.

Ok, call me crazy but it's convenient that the covid numbers have dropped massively in the last couple of weeks just in time to start letting foreigners into the country in droves in time for the olympics. Must be just good timing.

Yet people like students, workers, family members are still left outside. Clear image how much Japan cares about foreigners.

 but they must restrict themselves to their accommodation and sports venues.

Oh, one other thing, what happens if their "accommodation" is the Olympic village?

I didn't know athletes were immune to the pandemic.

Huh, you learn something new every day.................

Oh, one other thing, what happens if their "accommodation" is the Olympic village?

Then they must stay only in the Olympic village, or the venue they compete at.

@noriahojanen

I'm not sure if any travel insurance companies will cover you for the virus. Six months ago it was a no.

Virus spike?

78 Jiro will need a bike to keep up with the Kenyans

I really hope they will allow business workers to enter as well?

I am here outside of Japan and waiting for them to allow entry for foreigners

Else we will lose our work opportunities

So, Olympic will be held.

Let the games begin and prepare to be entertained....

Perhaps The true state of this virus can be seen in these figures , is it really as much of a critical situation as it has been made out to be ?

More than 7,800 people have died in Japan due to the virus, while more than 431,000 have been infected.

But then how do we really know that those 7,800 were victims of this virus ?

7,800 deaths and 431,000 people caught this virus...................but everyone has been impacted by it, economically, socially, emotionally and in many different ways.

Millions of people never came into contact with it, and many who did catch it didnt even know it until they were told they had it.

More than 70,000 people - including athletes, coaches and media representatives - are expected to enter the country for the Games, the Nikkei report said citing estimates in Japan.

Ideally many visitors would be vaccinated and required on travel insurance.

When can I return. I miss Japan.