Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Japan reopens to tourists but with strict rules

Japan reopens to tourists but with strict rules

Neasa Ronayne plans to visit Japan for the first time this year.
She has paid more than £3,500 ($4,390) for a 16-day tour, as under the country's Covid-19 restrictions she is not allowed to roam around on her own.

But Ms Ronayne, who lives in the UK, is still keen to make the trip.

"This will be my first time in Japan and also my first time in Asia. I am looking forward to it. I have been watching [Japanese reality TV show] Terrace House to learn some phrases," she said.

She is not alone. Several travel agencies have told the BBC they were seeing a jump in inquiries about holidays to Japan - although the country's strict regulations are still keeping some visitors away.

Japan has been largely closed to foreign visitors since 2020, as it implemented some of the world's toughest Covid-19 restrictions. And even now, as it opens its borders to tourists from nearly 100 countries and regions on Friday, it is putting new restrictions in place.

This includes the requirement for travellers to be part of a package tour. They must also buy medical insurance and wear masks in all public places, including outside.

Under the rules, tourists will also have to avoid the so-called "three Cs": closed spaces, crowded places and close contact settings.

Earlier this week, the Japan Tourism Agency said tour leaders needed to accompany visitors "from entry to departure", while reminding them of Covid requirements like mask wearing.

"Tour guides should frequently remind tour participants of necessary infection prevention measures, including wearing and removing masks, at each stage of the tour," the agency said in 16 pages of guidelines issued on Tuesday.

"Even outdoors, the wearing of masks should continue in situations where people are conversing in close proximity," it added.

Still, travel agencies say they have seen a surge in interest in visiting the country.

Singapore's Chan Brothers Travel said it had received bookings for 50 tour groups to Japan, with each including as many as 30 people.

Its spokesperson, Jeremiah Wong, told the BBC that inquiries have been "streaming in exponentially" since Japan's reopening was announced.

"To make up for the time lost in the past two years or more, travellers have no qualms going on their long-awaited holidays," Mr Wong said.

But he is unsure when the company's first post-pandemic tour to Japan will be able to go ahead: "The potentially earliest departure will be after mid-July due to the requirement for tourist visa application... for all travellers."

Zara Bencheikh, the managing director of Intrepid Travel, said there was a "huge pent up demand to visit Japan".

Her firm hopes to restart its tours - which cover popular destinations like Mount Fuji - from August. But Ms Bencheikh said it was still in the process of getting approval from the Japanese authorities.

Japan has barred most foreign visitors for the last two years as it imposed measures to slow the spread of Covid-19. Last year, overseas visitors were even banned from the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

The country only relaxed travel restrictions for foreign residents and business travellers earlier this year.

Last month, Japan said it would double the daily limit for foreign arrivals to 20,000.

This "modest reopening strategy" will not bring much benefit to the Japanese economy - which is the world's third largest, said Kentaro Koyama, chief economist at Deutsche Bank Japan.

"The government's response has been rather delayed. The aging Japanese population is more fearful of infection than other countries," Mr Koyama said.

Before the pandemic tourism was big business in Japan with a record 31.9m foreign visitors to the country in 2019. Last year, there were fewer than 250,000.

But the tourism industry of this once-popular Asian destination still has some way to go on the road to recovery.

Rad Sappany told the BBC that she has dropped her plans to visit Japan next month from Australia because of the restrictions.

"We are not interested in a package tour - it's not the way we like to travel," she said.

Wanping Aw, who runs Japan-focussed boutique travel agency TokudAw, said her company has not secured any bookings, despite getting two to three enquires every day.

"We do not have any finalised bookings yet as no one is willing to make a commitment," she said.

Ms Aw added: "'We do not want to be guinea pigs' is a phrase I often hear."
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
×