Japan is going to ease COVID-restrictions for tourists

The Japanese government will consider easing restrictive measures taken as part of the fight against CORONAVIRUS, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said at a press conference.

Restrictions need to be eased, he said, "while maintaining a balance between preventing the spread of infection and developing social and economic activities."

Matsuno's announcement came a day after his deputy, Seiji Kihara, told Fuji TV that the government was reviewing its border control policy, which limits entry to the country to 50,000 people a day, and will lift it in the not-too-distant future. The government will loosen other rules, including the visa regime, Kihara added.

Matsuno said the government will continue to make appropriate decisions based on the infection situation both at home and abroad.

Last Wednesday, Japan increased its daily entry limit from 20,000 to 50,000 people. In addition, arriving travelers who have been vaccinated at least three times no longer need to be tested for coronavirus within 72 hours of departure and show evidence that they are not infected. The Nikkei newspaper writes that the government may lift the daily arrival limit by October.

The Nikkei notes that only 245,900 foreign tourists visited Japan in 2021, the lowest number since the statistics began. This dealt a significant blow to the country's tourism industry, which was heavily dependent on foreign travelers prior to the pandemic.