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It’s official: Japan has still announced that it will allow visa-free access to independent tourists, cutting the daily limit on arrivals from October 11, after almost two and a half years of strict restrictions imposed by the pandemic.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida made the announcement Thursday in New York while attending the United Nations General Assembly.
New arrivals must be vaccinated 3 times or present a negative result prior to arrival for a Covid-19 test, according to Kyodo News.
Before the pandemic, Japan allowed visa-free access for short stays from 68 countries, plus the United States.
To inspire domestic tourism, the Japanese government will also reinstate the national reduction program that was halted after Covid cases surged.
Calling this step an effort to help tourism, entertainment, and industries that have been hardest hit by the pandemic, Kishida hoped the news of the full reopening would inspire more people to be a part of the program.
While Japan had eased restrictions gradually even since reopening to foreign tourists in June, the government still required tourists to apply for short-term visas to enter the country as part of tour packages approved through an identified agency.
Tags: by month asia, coronavirus recovery, covid-19, entertainment, japan, visas
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