'Strictest Among G7' Japan to Exempt COVID-19 Testing for Arrivals Starting Next Month on the 7th

Significant Relaxation of COVID-19 Restrictions Amid Decline in Tourists

Pedestrians wearing masks are gathered in front of a crosswalk in downtown Tokyo, Japan. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] The Japanese government announced that it will suspend pre-entry COVID-19 testing starting from the 7th of next month. This move is interpreted as a relaxation of regulations to revitalize the domestic economy after the daily number of entrants fell short of expectations.

On the 24th, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida declared online from the Prime Minister's Official Residence, "We will promote a phased relaxation of quarantine measures to enable smooth entry for citizens of major countries such as the G7."

First, COVID-19 testing upon entry to Japan will be exempted only for those who have received the third dose of the vaccine. Until now, travelers departing from other countries to Japan had to submit a certificate confirming a negative COVID-19 test result within 72 hours. Japanese media pointed out that Japan's quarantine measures are the strictest among G7 countries.

The plan to increase the daily entry limit from 20,000 to 50,000 people is under consideration. Prime Minister Kishida stated, "We will promptly announce this after organizing the quarantine system."

The policy requiring mandatory reporting of confirmed cases to public health centers will also be relaxed. Until now, the Japanese government required doctors to submit a 'case report form' containing information about confirmed cases to public health centers. However, as the number of unreported 'hidden' patients is rapidly increasing, going forward, case report forms will only be required for the elderly and those with underlying conditions. Isolation measures for confirmed cases will be left to the discretion of local governments.

This policy appears to be in response to public criticism that the strict quarantine policies have caused the tourism industry to stagnate. The Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported that although two months have passed since the resumption of tourist entries, the number of daily visitors to Japan in July did not reach 20,000. Considering that the average daily number of foreign visitors before COVID-19 exceeded 3 million, this is far below that scale.

The Nihon Keizai Shimbun pointed out, "There is criticism that the requirement to obtain a visa and submit a negative test certificate upon entry is an obstacle to increasing visitors to Japan," and added, "To increase visitors and revitalize consumption, it is necessary to align entry regulations with the level of other advanced countries."