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September 5: On Wednesday, the Japanese government particularly eased border controls by removing pre-departure COVID-19 testing requirements for travelers who have received at least 3 doses of the vaccine, and by expanding daily access limits from 20,000 to 50,000.
On Wednesday, the Japanese government particularly eased border controls by getting rid of pre-departure COVID-19 testing needs for travelers who have received at least 3 doses of the vaccine, and by expanding daily access limits from 20,000 to 50,000.
Hawaii Tourism Japan’s lead executive, Eric Takahata, said the new gains likely won’t quite triumph over the headwinds of higher fuel surcharges and the unfavorable exchange rate, which at 140 yen to the dollar is the lowest in 24 years.
They are also likely to bring in enough visitors to meet competitive forecasts made this year by Japanese Travel Agent Association President Hiroyuki Takahashi, who said he expected Japanese visitors to return to Hawaii this year by 40 percent. the point before the pandemic of 2019 and until next year would return to normal.
This forecast was based on the concept that Japanese visitors can return to Hawaii more freely than government policy allows. In contrast, visitors from Japan in July were still down nearly 83% from July 2019, and about 93% during the first seven months.
Still, Takahata hopes that recent maximum changes to Japan’s policies, along with recently announced flight additions, will help Hawaii capture the suppressed call in time for the Honolulu Marathon in December and beyond.
“I expect this to generate momentum in the fourth quarter that will continue through the first quarter of 2023 and bring something to the Honolulu Festival, which returns in March for the first time since the pandemic,” he said.
Dr. Jim Barahal, executive director of the Honolulu Marathon, said the rest of the Japanese regulations are expected to generate greater participation for the year of the marathon’s 50th anniversary.
He said 2,800 Japanese participants have registered for this year’s events, which in addition to the 26. 2-mile race, also come with Kala kaua Merrie Mile and start with Park 10K.
“Our share in Japan is still down 73% since 2019, but we expect it to increase with the further easing of restrictions,” Barahal said.
Last year, Barahal said 125 Japanese visitors took part in the marathon and its other events. Barahal said that in more general years, the three events attract between 32,000 and 34,000 attendees, some of whom come from Japan.
He said this year, so far, the total number of registrations for the three events is around 20,000, even with a 110% increase in registrations from the continental United States.
“We will have the 15,000 Japanese we have had in the past, but we hope that this relaxation of restrictions on September 7 will result in more visitors from Japan,” he said. “It’s a smart sign that we’ve retained our major Japanese sponsors. “Japan Airlines and Mizuno. “
Barahal said the removal of the testing requirement and the relaxation of other restrictions in Japan will encourage travel, which will trump lingering fears of travel.
“It’s not just having to write the check to travel, but also the feeling that it’s for them to travel,” he said.
Japan, which has imposed some of the strict border control measures for the coronavirus, recently demands negative effects of the PCR test within 72 hours of departure for all participants.
Takahata said the biggest hurdle is that the tests create uncertainty. For example, if a guest tested positive for COVID-19, the person had to be willing to stay in Hawaii for five to 14 days for the virus to disappear from that person’s body.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who on Wednesday announced the upcoming adjustments last month at an online press conference, said: “Our fight against the virus is not easy, but we deserve not to be too afraid and instead pay attention to the characteristics of the omicron variant. We will boost our responses while balancing infection measures and social and economic activities as much as possible. “
Japan partially opened its borders to foreign tourists in June for the first time in two years, but only allowed those who agreed to participate in guided tour packages.
Professional organizations in Japan and abroad have called on the country to reduce its border controls on the economy, especially the tourism industry, which has been severely affected by the pandemic. But many Japanese are reluctant to scale back additional border measures as the country grapples with a seventh wave of infections.
However, the air between Japan and Hawaii has grown. In July, All Nippon Airways resumed flights to Hawaii on its 520-seat A380 superjumbos. Last month, Japan Airlines returned to nonstop operations between Tokyo and Kona.
Hawaii Tourism Authority President and CEO John De Fries, who met with other tourism and government stakeholders to mark the restart of direct service between Japan and Kona, said in a statement: “Japan Airlines Flight 770 from Narita International Airport to Ellison Onizuka Kona International. The airport symbolizes the reopening of an airlift that will unite us and our intercultural bond, while strengthening our efforts to improve industry and commerce between our two nations. “
Takahata Delta Air Lines will resume direct service between Tokyo and Honolulu on Dec. 1, and Hawaii Tourism Japan expects Korean Air to make an announcement soon about resuming direct flights. —— The Associated Press contributed to this article.