The Japan government further relaxed its border measures on September 7, 2022. While the number of people infected with COVID-19 in Japan still remains high, the government is gradually changing its conservative approach.
In principle, all persons who enter or reenter Japan are required to submit a certificate for testing of COVID-19, which is examined within 72 hours before departure and certifies the negative result. However, from September 7, 2022, if a person holds a valid vaccination certificate, such person is not required to submit a certificate of negative test result.
A vaccination certificate must meet the following conditions to be treated as a valid vaccination certificate:
Japan’s border measures are determined by which country a person has been staying in and whether the person holds a valid vaccination certificate. Under the new rules, no country is categorized as a “Red” country, which required the person to stay in a facility designated by the Japan government for a designated waiting period.
|
Category of Country |
Valid Vaccination Certificate |
Negative Test Result Certificate |
Quarantine at Entry |
Quarantine Period After Entry |
|
Red *No country is designated |
No |
Required |
Yes |
3 days at the designated quarantine facility (termination is conditioned on negative test results at the designated quarantine facility on the third day) |
|
Yes |
Not required |
Yes |
3 days at home and negative test result at voluntary test (Or 5 days at home without test) |
|
|
Yellow *73 countries are designated |
No |
Required |
Yes |
3 days at home and negative test result at voluntary test (Or 5 days at home without test) |
|
Yes |
Not required |
No |
No Quarantine Period |
|
|
Blue *128 countries are designated |
No |
Required |
No |
No Quarantine Period |
|
Yes |
Not required |
No |
No Quarantine Period |
(1) New entrants who plan to stay in Japan not more than three months (short stay) for business or work who obtain a certificate for completion of registration to the Entrants, Returnees Follow-up System (ERFS) (ERFS Certificate) or (2) the spouse or children of a Japanese national who plan to visit relatives for not more than 3 months (short stay) may apply for a multiple-entry short-term visa for a one-year effective term and up to a 90-day stay at a time. Such entrants, spouse, or children must be nationals of the 68 nations/regions that used to be visa exemption nations/regions prior to the current suspension. See the full list of such exemption nations/regions.
The Japan government still does not accept tourists on personal travel (i.e., not participating in a tour organized by a travel agent), but it now accepts a package tour even if a tour conductor is not in attendance.
|
Old Rules |
New Rules |
|
|
Unlike other G7 countries, the Japan government still maintains an upper limit of entrants per day but has increased this limit from 20,000 to 50,000 daily entrants.
An online visa application is available for US nationals living in the United States and Canadian nationals living in Canada who apply for a single-entry visa and who will stay in Japan for business, various exchanges, family visits, or tourism for up to 90 days and are not engaged in activities for which the entrant is paid.
This LawFlash is based on information publicly available as of September 11, 2022.
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Mai Ishii (Licensed Professional – Administrative Procedure) and Ayako Hiraiwa (Licensed Professional – Commercial Registrations & Administrative Procedure) contributed to this LawFlash.