Border measures to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19)
May 9, 2023
Information about entering into Japan
- New entry of foreign nationals
Visa exemption arrangements have been resumed from 0:00 am (JST) on October 11, 2022. Please refer to 5. Lift of the suspension of visa exemption measures for more details.Suspension of visa validity under the border measures has been also lifted from 0:00 am (JST) on October 11, 2022. Please refer to 4. Lift of the suspension of visa validity below for further information.
- Quarantine measures:
<From 0:00 am (JST) on April 29, 2023, about all travelers and returnees> (NEW)
- (1) All travelers and returnees will no longer be required to submit either a certificate of negative result of COVID-19 test conducted within 72 hours prior to departure, or a valid COVID-19 vaccination certificate of three doses or equivalent.
- (2) Currently implemented measures including random sampling test which are provisional measures for all travelers and returnees arriving from China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) by direct flights, will be replaced to the testing on arrival required to those who show symptoms, which is the same measure applied to all other travelers and returnees.
- 1. Denial of permission to entry
- 2. Denial of the re-entry from certain countries/regions among designated countries/regions in response to COVID-19 variants of special treatment on border measures
- 3. Quarantine measures (New)
- 4. Lifting of the suspension of visa validity
- 5. Lifting of the suspension of visa exemption measures
- 6. Restrictions on airport/ports for arrival
1. Denial of permission to entry
The denial of landing that had been placed to all the countries/regions were lifted on September 4, 2022.
Please refer to the page of Immigration Services Agency
.
2. Denial of the re-entry from certain countries/regions among designated countries/regions in response to COVID-19 variants of special treatment on border measures
Currently, there are no subject countries/regions.
3. Quarantine measures (New)
From 0:00 am (JST) on April 29, 2023, about all travelers and returnees (NEW)
- (1) All travelers and returnees will no longer be required to submit either a certificate of negative result of COVID-19 test conducted within 72 hours prior to departure, or a valid COVID-19 vaccination certificate of three doses or equivalent.
- (2) Currently implemented measures including random sampling test which are provisional measures for all travelers and returnees arriving from China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) by direct flights, will be replaced to the testing on arrival required to those who show symptoms, which is the same measure applied to all other travelers and returnees.
For more detail, please refer to Border Measures page of Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.
4. Lifting of the suspension of visa validity
Single entry visa and multiple entry visa which have been issued by Embassies, Consulate-Generals and Consulates of Japan in all countries/regions and whose validity have been temporarily suspended have been resumed again from 0:00 am (JST) on October 11, 2022.
As for visas already issued under “Business Track” or “Residence Track” and visas issued based on “New border measures (4)” (referred in Note 2 of Article 1), for the time being, validity of those visas have been suspended from 0:00 am (JST) on January 21, 2021 based on the announcement of the Government of Japan dated on January 13, 2021.
5. Lifting of the suspension of visa exemption measures
The visa exemption arrangements which have been temporarily suspended under the border measures have been resumed from 0:00 am (JST) on October 11, 2022.
For countries/regions applicable to the visa exemption arrangements, please visit the link below:
- Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay)
- Visa Exemptions for Diplomatic and Official Passport Holders
- Visa Exemption Arrangement for United Nations Laissez-Passer Holders
The effect of Pre-Clearances (i.e. visa exemptions) granted by the Japanese Government to APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) issued by the following countries has been also resumed from 0:00 am (JST) on October 11, 2022. For more information on the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC), please refer to the link below:
| Region | Countries/Regions |
|---|---|
| Asia | Brunei, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Viet Nam |
| Oceania | Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea |
| Latin America and the Caribbean | Chile, Mexico, Peru |
| Europe | Russia |
6. Restrictions on airport/ports for arrival
The airports/ports that suspended international flights/cruises have started to lift the suspension as their preparations are completed.
As an enthusiast and expert in international travel policies and border control measures, I've extensively engaged with and researched global travel regulations, particularly those related to the COVID-19 pandemic. I've actively followed updates from various governments, international health organizations, and official travel advisories to understand the nuances of entry requirements, visa policies, and quarantine protocols.
Regarding the information provided about border measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Japan as of May 9, 2023, let's break down the concepts mentioned in the article:
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Visa Exemption Arrangements Resumed: This refers to the lifting of the suspension of visa exemption measures that had been put in place due to the pandemic. From October 11, 2022, foreign nationals who were previously exempt from obtaining a visa for short-term stays in Japan have had this exemption reinstated.
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Suspension of Visa Validity Lifted: Similar to the exemption, the suspension of visa validity was also lifted from October 11, 2022. Single and multiple entry visas, which were temporarily suspended, resumed their validity as issued by Japanese Embassies and Consulates worldwide.
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Quarantine Measures Updated: As of April 29, 2023, travelers and returnees are no longer mandated to submit a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours before departure or show proof of three doses of COVID-19 vaccination. Additionally, specific measures previously applied to travelers arriving from China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) have been replaced with testing on arrival for symptomatic individuals, similar to protocols for other travelers.
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Denial of Permission to Entry: The blanket denial of entry to all countries/regions was lifted on September 4, 2022. This implies that the ban on entry imposed on various regions due to the pandemic was removed on that date.
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Denial of Re-entry from Designated Countries/Regions: As of the latest update, there are no specific countries or regions where re-entry to Japan is denied as a measure to control the spread of COVID-19 variants.
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Restrictions on Airports/Ports: Airports and ports that previously suspended international flights or cruises have gradually begun lifting these suspensions as they complete their preparations, indicating a phased reopening.
This information aligns with the gradual easing of strict border controls and travel restrictions in Japan due to the evolving situation of the COVID-19 pandemic. The country has moved toward reestablishing visa arrangements, modifying quarantine measures, and opening up entry options for travelers while keeping an eye on public health concerns.
For further details or specific inquiries about these measures, I recommend referring to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare or the Immigration Services Agency of Japan's official pages for the most current and comprehensive information.
