Finally, after two and a half years, along with two futile attempts to control the entry of foreign tourists into Japan through group package tours, Japan joined the world again and will reopen its borders on October 11, 2022. All countries who have had a visa waiver agreement with Japan, where upon arrival you are issued a tourist visa, can enter Japan the same way as pre-Covid in 2019. The only difference is that you will need to have certified that you have at least three vaccine doses or a PCR Pre-departure 72-hour test. The main lingering challenge is the “mask issue,” and at the end of this video, Mike discusses some of the reasons and what the reality is on the ground.
Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare: https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/covid-19/bordercontrol.html
Ministry of Foreign Affairs: https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/index.html
Sources: NHK evening news, Japan Today, News 23, N-Star, TBS News DIGI.
YouTube Channel page with #shorts and regular videos: https://www.youtube.com/c/MikeMatsuno/featured
Other videos of interest:
“The Devil is in the Details” (Sept 7) Self-guided tours
“Breaking News from Japan! – September 7th, BUT…
“I know why Japan is still closed!”
100,000 Foreign Visitors to Japan in July??? (WTF!)
https://studio.youtube.com/video/F3YL…
Where are the group package tours in Japan?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idSAc…
What happened to the Foreign Group Tourists’ entry into Japan? (started June 10, 2022)
Best Rice in the World: https://youtu.be/QFyfOB6vyMs
Japan Bath: https://youtu.be/tPyJliDAm4Q
Japanese curry: https://youtu.be/FFseCI802R4
Please subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/MikeMatsuno
Mike’s website: https://www.goglobal.me/.
46 Comments
Mask is already a culture here in japan. For example, the basic rule is you can remove your mask but when you enter a restaurant, they will ask you to use a mask
Wearing a mask is a really small thing to do if we want to go to Japan. Over here most people is used to it and even though the government said is not mandatory to use mask outside, most people still do it. I for one would do it with no issue if that's needed to go to Japan.
Thanks for only reporting what has been approved by the PM. Yesterday he said by the end of Oct. The ONLY official place to check exactly what has been approved is the Japan Consulate in your state. As of 25 Sept nothing has been changed. Keep giving updates that are from the government. No SOS app will be required.
With the Yen so weak, it's a great time to go
Thanks for the updates. When I heard about this a day or two ago I booked tickets for my wife and I from HNL > NRT on October 29th to visit for a week. We can't wait! It's been too long!
Disneysea here I come
Hi Mike…I was wondering about the vaccination requirements. I have my CDC card filled out with all my approved COVID vaccinations and will be taking my 5th vaccination before going to Japan. Do you think that this card will suffice? or does a foreigner have to download an app to upload any vaccination information. Thanks again for all your updates!
Will they accept negative covid tests like SOFA? or will my family have to still do the family visas?
I am not against wearing mask, but have to say its confusing that its not by law, but from social pressure. They should make the rules very clear at arrival if you HAVE to wear a mask. Since no western country wear masks anymore, masks wont be used if its optional.
Ur face in the thumbnail😂😁
I thought this is Yan Can Cook.
I live in Japan and stopped wearing a Mask altogether. To hot in Okinawa. I’m Vaccinated.
Yay! Good news! I hope to meet my online friend(?). I guess I call her my girlfriend but I don't think she feels the same way. Anyway, I hope to book my trip soon so I can finally meet her face to face and actually see her face! So excited.
They need to ditch the 3 jabs .
So u still have to upload your vax history ?
Does anyone know a good video on what the new Covid entry requirements are?
I looked at the Ministry website but it would probably take me hours to understand it, if I could.
Who cares about mask ? Japan had to the highest covid cases in the world per day a few weeks ago . No tourist so who they going to blame for the high case numbers . Thought mask work? Hahaha
Booked my flight 😊. I will be there beginning of December. Really excited to be returning to my beloved Japan ❤️🇯🇵
On another note, I have to disagree with Mike that foreigners will willingly wear masks. Having traveled extensively since borders began reopening, I've noticed that Western tourists tend not to wear masks if it is optional (in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, for example). Although I find mask-wearing to be redundant now, I will be wearing one out of respect for the others if it's still the norm in Japan and hope other tourists will do the same.
And to the xenophobes out there- you've managed to hit well over 200k infections a day without any help from foreign tourists. So please spare us your discrimination and moralizing.
Japan open tourist visa for indian solo traveler?
How long does cherry blossom season last? Like when they have food, goods and merchandize? We were thinking of going in spring (hopefully if tickets don't shoot up to 2-3 k Dx). I love sakura and the color so it would be ideal for me to go!
IKUZE! Unfortunately the big event which I visit Japan for, the Tokyo Game Show, has already past this year. This is still a huge positive step and I hope the situation will continue to improve until Sep 2023.
Thanks for the update. Really useful especially when many Japan tourism websites are not updated for a while. Hope they update soon.
Good news! Apparently, Japan will be opening its borders to individual tourists starting October 11! I just posted on my channel our travel to Sapporo last 2020, a month before all the pandemic restrictions were imposed cause I really missed the country. Hopefully, if everything goes well, looking forward to our trip to Osaka this coming November
I’m flying from Manila to Osaka. Finally !
I just booked ANA for Oct 25, I'm so excited…
Hey Mike your doing a great job my friend 👍🏾👊🏾👍🏾👊🏾👍🏾👊🏾 Just make sure you don't film in front of a corn field or we will never see you again.
I heard you need to be fully vaccinated but the first booster must be 14 days ago? Or when you travel? Although I just took the latest booster in the middle of September.
When they get rid of the vaccine requirement is when i'll go to japan
Wearing a mask outside is like putting a seat belt on while walking outside. It's useless on top of being ridiculous.
Thank you for this video Mike-san. Watching from Okinawa.
All the Japanese people are sad today. Hey Gaijins, you are not welcome in Japan and all the polls show it.
Unfortunately, countries such as the Philippines, are required to have a visa to enter Japan, and those who still hold what were supposed to be valid multiple entry visas issued prior to the pandemic remain suspended.😥
Dear Gaijins,
I think you should the vast majority of Japanese people are against the borders being opened to gaijins. How does feel to be an unwelcome and Uninvited guest? In other words an invader? When you get dirty looks in Japan you will know why. Why are you coming to Japan, when you know that you are unwelcome? Why cant you respect the feelings of the Japanese people?
A proud Japanese.
Thanks for keeping us updated, Mike! I’m really excited to see your subscriber numbers and view numbers going up and up. So happy for your continued well deserved success! 😄
Summary of 10/11 updates (all toward easing except last item)
1. Visa Waiver resumption: All 68 Visa Waiver countries
2. No Daily quota on Entry
3. Vaccine 3 times or pre-departure negative test result.
(for Johnson & Johnson, 2 shots is sufficient)
4. No post arrival test nor quarantine
5. No Blue, Yellow, Red grouping
6. ERFS ends, no requirement for responsible receiving party.
7. Qualifying vaccine list updated to be the WHO's list of vaccine for emergency use. This effectively adds a few Chinese Vaccines which weren't in the list of vaccines for Entry into Japan
8. Caveat – We may review entry policy and change if another Variant of concern emerges.
So I don’t need a visa to enter japan or do we need one? Because I would always use my passport to go
Thank you for the clarification and the useful links. I went to Japan on study-exchange in 2017 and had been wanting to visit again for years. I had booked tickets a long time ago for 1 November, but had already assumed I'd have to cancel those plans. Even now I'm still wary.
I looked over the information in the link to the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare, and my vaccination status seems okay according to what I read. Still, if someone can confirm this for me that would be stellar.
I was vaccinated on 8 Juli and 3 June in 2021, and boostered on 9 January 2022. That seems in order right?
And my international proof vaccination is a ''Yellow Vaccination Booklet'' issued by SDU (read; Dutch government). Even though it is supposedly an 'international proof of vaccination', that is in both Dutch and English and French… It is also a document that is recognized in Japan, right? 😅 I feel a bit odd for still not trusting that it is alright to enter.
Anyways, thanks to anyone who might clarify this for me.
And thanks to Matsuno-San for making this video~
Just wait untill you see the cost of tickets. Flights to Asia are ridiculously expensive right now, due to the price of oil and airlines trying to recoup on lost revenue.
sub / excellent video – keep up the great work
Mask wearing is only taken seriously because no one wants to be the first to stand out and unmask. I hope the coming hordes of foreign tourists, who will for sure be unmasked outdoors, influence the Japanese to finally start unmasking. As a foreign resident here, I can’t stand it anymore!
I am konan university student and I took your class before one years😊 thank you. Our LINE group is exist now
what's about country and regions don't have exemption to enter japan 90days they should easy massuers such as don't ask me to bring paper from my work to apply?
I am Japanese. I am also happy to hear this news. I hope many people will come to Japan. Thank you for sharing this news with so many people.
Not quite just. Japan is still freaking out about the Chinese Wuhan virus. As long as a country is requiring a test or so-called vaccine, I will not be visiting.
Masks are stupid. I definitely won't be visiting any country requiring masks.
Hey Mike thanks for the video! So does this mean that if you aren't vaccinated, or have only 2 doses, you can still enter Japan with a PCR test 72 hours before arrival?