Who can come to Japan now and what you have to do to get in

Japan has just announced that the borders will be opened to some new classes of foreigners as of March 1, 2022: vaccinated* business travelers and students who have already been accepted at a school (i.e. already have approved study visas).

I’m just going to give a summary of what’s new, since it doesn’t apply to most people yet (you have to have more than the usual 90-day “tourist” visa to get in) but I think it’s likely that there will be similar procedures and restrictions once 90-day visas are being issued again, so, forewarned, forearmed, etc.

I got the information from this TimeOut article, so you can head over there if you want the nitty gritty.

*You have to be fully vaccinated (two vaccines) with Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca or Johnson & Johnson, or they won’t accept you. Those who have also had booster shots are exempt from some quarantine restrictions (see below).

What we don’t know

How the heckin’ heck do you qualify as a business traveler? (There’s mention of some arcane “business visa” you have to apply for before coming, but in order to find out how to get one, you have to call the consulate.)

How do you make sure you’re one of the 5,000 travelers they’re going to let in every day? (Are ya feelin’ lucky? Do they just shut the booths and make you camp in line at Narita until 12:01 the next morning if you’re #5,001? Nobody is saying.)

What we do know

Here’s what you need before you get on the plane:

• A Covid-19 test within 72 hours of departure and a certificate saying you’re negative
• A signed copy of the Written Pledge (available in English and Japanese) 
• A completed digital questionnaire (available in multiple languages) 

Here’s what you need to get past Immigration at the airport:

• Submit the above documents 
• Take a PCR test 
• Download the required health monitoring app 

How long do vaccinated visitors need to quarantine?

Fully vaccinated + boosted visitors from non-designated** countries: No quarantine

Fully vaccinated (but not boosted) visitors from non-designated** countries: Seven day self-quarantine at home, and if you test negative on the third day, you’re done

Fully vaccinated + boosted visitors from designated*** countries: Seven days self-quarantine at home

Fully vaccinated (but not boosted) visitors from designated*** countries: Three days at an airport government facility, plus four more days self-quarantine at home once you test negative

**Which countries (as of 2/25/22) are the lucky non-designated ones?

Australia
Spain
USA
Ireland
Thailand
Philippines 

***There’s a list of designated countries here.

There’s a complete list of countries and their various visa restriction statuses on Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs website here.

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In the meantime, guess what was just released as an audiobook?
If you’d rather listen than flip pages, now you can!

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“A fascinating mix of history and mystery.” —Booklist

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Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had