Japan will Completely Re-Open Borders to Tourists Next Month
Fire up Duolingo and start planning your itinerary because Japan is welcoming back visa-free travel. Following nearly three years of unbending restrictions due to the COVID pandemic, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida recently announced that the country would abolish a slew of border controls from October 11, in a move that looks set to revive the tourism industry.
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Image: Getty
During a press conference at the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday, Kishida announced the country will “relax control measures to be on par with the US, as well as resume visa-free and individual travel.” Under the previous arrangement, international visitors could only enter the country as part of a guided tour, organised via a designated travel agency. With no pre-flight or on arrival testing on the horizon, travel to Japan is as close as it’s even been to pre-pandemic days.
The October 11 deadline will see the Japanese government adopt a visa-free arrangement for nationals traveling from 196 countries (including Australia) – returning back to pre-pandemic numbers. In addition, officials confirmed the daily limit on travellers arriving from overseas, currently capped at 50,000, will be abolished. For reference, Japan had about 246,000 foreign visitors in 2021, far off a record 31.9 million in 2019. However, with no pre-flight or on-arrival testing on the horizon, travel to Japan is as close as it’s even been to pre-pandemic days.
Japan’s decision to scrap most restrictions on foreigners comes as the country’s deadliest wave recedes. It also coincides with the yen slumping to its lowest levels against the US dollar in almost a quarter of a century, making the archipelago an attractive destination for overseas travellers, per Bloomberg.
Japan has long been one of the world’s most sought-after destinations, with travellers eager to return once again. The country’s delicious cuisine, unique landscape, powder-white ski fields, and warm hospitality are just a handful of its endless drawcards.
You can learn more about Japan reopening head to their government website.
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