Japan is contemplating COVID-19 testing BEFORE departure for travelers to the country, according to local media.
Japan is one of the latest countries to apply border restrictions to the virus, and arrivals are required to test negative for coronavirus within 72 hours prior to departure.
However, Tokyo would likely remove the testing requirement for vaccinated passengers in the coming weeks, the Nikkei newspaper reported on Monday.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno on Tuesday declined to comment on the timing of any easing of the border, saying he would count on COVID-19 figures in Japan and abroad.
“In addition to taking all measures to avoid contagion, we will also announce economic activity, and with the border measures, we will reduce them in stages while keeping those two things in balance,” Matsuno told reporters.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who canceled several trips after testing positive for COVID-19 over the weekend, said in May that he sought to further align Japan’s border measures with those of other primary economies.
Japan welcomed the first tourists in two years in June, subject to strict conditions, adding the requirement to download a visa and stick to guided tour packages.
Despite Japan’s border controls, COVID-19 cases in the country have reached record levels in recent weeks, with more than 250,000 cases.
Business teams have called for further relaxation of border restrictions, warning that otherwise Japan could stay economically.