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Japan’s new travel etiquette and guidance for visitors

Latest travel guidance for visiting Japan. Find out the steps to take to join a tour and the health and safety guidance for tourists. 

There has been some exciting travel news for tourists from the United States and Canada. A new eVisa to enter Japan launches on August 18, 2022, facilitating tourism in Japan.

Visa-free entry to Japan remains suspended due to COVID-19 restrictions. Currently, all foreign visitors need a visa to visit Japan. The new electronic application will facilitate travel for Americans and Canadians. The service could be rolled out to more nationalities in the future.

Data shows Americans are now traveling internationally again and can play an important role in the revival of tourism. Americans are returning to Southeast Asia in larger numbers than from other origin markets, for example. 

Under current restrictions, tourists must visit Japan as part of an organized tour group using the Entrants, Returnees, Follow-up System (ERFS). Nevertheless, the new eVisa system makes it easier to visit Japan from mid-August 2022 onwards. A date for restarting individual travel has not yet been announced.  

To visit Japan, The first step is to purchase a package tour from a company. At this time, tour companies must be specially registered to offer tours under the ERFS scheme. The selected tour group has to request entry permission for the foreign national from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare. 

Different tour packages are available covering must-see sights and attractions in Japan. After the traveler purchases the tour package, the company requests entry permission from the Japanese authorities and is issued a certificate of registration which is sent to the applicant by email.

Previously, the applicants needed to take this certificate to the Japanese embassy to request a visa. Now, citizens of the United States and Canada will be able to get their visa online instead of having to attend in person.

The Japanese government has also laid out a New Travel Etiquette for visitors. This etiquette is divided into sections covering accommodation, transportation, and sightseeing or shopping. These aim to ensure safer travel to Japan as the country gradually reopens borders to international visitors.

Travelers are advised to review these recommendations before taking a trip to Japan in 2022.

Accommodation and dining
Guests are advised to check their body temperature and sanitize their hands when checking into their accommodation. Hotels have screening and hygiene stations at the entrance. 

Infection prevention measures such as physical distancing are advised, even when eating and drinking. The authorities also recommend minimizing time spent in shared drinking areas. 

The final piece of advice under this heading is to refrain from talking when using public baths.

Transportation
Guidance for using transportation in Japan follows the general recommendations commuters are now accustomed to. Face masks must be worn when traveling on public transport and ventilation should be optimized. 

Visitors are advised to travel outside peak times to prevent close contact with other passengers. Tourists should avoid using public transport during the morning and evening rush hours, for example.

Avoiding talking when using public transport is another preventative measure suggested by the Japanese authorities.

Sightseeing and shopping
The final area of the New Travel Etiquette for Visitors covers shopping and sightseeing. Tourists are advised to visit places that are not crowded and avoid peak times. However, visitors may find that the places they will visit and timetables are established by the tour company.

Physical distancing should be maintained, even when outdoors. Tourists should also sanitize their hands before and after touching items in stores like souvenirs. 

Guidance for mask wearing
In addition to the New Travel Etiquette, mask-wearing guidelines remain in place in Japan. Travelers visiting Japan should check they understand all the rules for mask wearing before going to Japan. Here is a summary of the latest guidance.

Masks outdoors
When outdoors, masks are only required when talking at a distance of fewer than 2 meters. Outdoors activities such as running and cycling can be carried out mask-free. It’s also possible to talk outside without a mask provided a distance of at least 2 meters is maintained.

During the warm summer months, people are advised to remove their masks outdoors when it is not required to help stay cool.

Masks indoors
Masks are required indoors when talking, this applies even if there is a distance of more than 2 meters between people. If not talking indoors, a mask only needs to be worn if a distance of 2 meters or more cannot be maintained.

Masks must be worn in crowded spaces including on public transport. 

Other travel considerations
Travelers must meet the COVID-19 entry requirements to be accepted on a tour and enter the country. Visitors must only have been on ‘blue’ list countries in the 14 days before applying, this list includes the United States and Canada. Isolation is no longer required for visitors arriving from blue countries. Travelers still need to use the MySOS app and get medical insurance. 

During the tour, travelers should follow all the preventative measures outlined on this page and follow any additional instructions from the tour conductor. Travelers who develop symptoms during the tour should report them to the tour conductor. 

Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 in the week after returning home is asked to inform their travel agent. 

Entry rules and restrictions are updated regularly. Travelers must check all the latest information when planning their trip to Japan.

Photo by Su San Lee on Unsplash

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