He explained the new entry rules for Japan

Japan has been accepting applications to re-enter the country since Friday, as entry restrictions will be eased next Tuesday. Since some questions remained unanswered after our first article, we are now trying to clarify them.

Because entering the country is not so easy and there are a number of things that must be taken care of before the trip. Anyone who wants to come to Japan for work or study purposes can enter. Tourists are still excluded.

before entering Japan

Before entering Japan, the alleged sponsor must provide the data of the foreign citizen via the so-called ERFS ERFS (Entry and Return Tracking System) passed, and monitored by the Ministry of Health.

Sponsors will be notified when the application is approved, after which the potential traveler can apply for a visa at a Japanese embassy or consulate.

However, this does not mean that you can board the plane immediately, because there is a daily maximum number of people allowed to enter the country per day. This will be 5,000 from March 1.

Rules after entering

Foreign nationals who have been granted visas can travel to Japan but must comply with quarantine rules and report their whereabouts and health status through the ERFS system.

A total of 37 countries were identified as omicron hotspots. Quarantine regulations for those entering the country have been established on the basis of this classification.

Quarantine regulations are:

• If a traveler is from any of the 37 countries listed below and has not yet received a booster injection, they must complete a three-day quarantine at a designated facility and submit a negative test on the third day of discharge from quarantine.
• If the traveler is from any of the 37 countries and receives a booster vaccine, he will be quarantined for three days at home or in a place of his choosing, and a negative test is required on the third day in order to be able to exit the quarantine. If he doesn’t get tested, he will have to stay in quarantine for seven days.
• If a traveler does not enter Japan from one of the 37 countries and does not receive a booster vaccination, he must observe a three-day quarantine at home or a place of his choice and take a negative test on the third day. If he doesn’t get tested, he will have to stay in quarantine for seven days.
• If the traveler is not from one of the 37 countries and receives a booster vaccine, they will be exempted from quarantine.
• The short quarantine period applies to everyone who received a vaccine from Biontech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson.
• From March, people entering Japan from abroad are allowed to use public transportation within 24 hours of their arrival, even during the quarantine period, except for people who are quarantined in designated facilities.

List of countries designated as Omicron hotspots:

• Albania
• Bangladesh
• Brazil (São Paulo and Parana)
• Cambodia
• Canada
• Denmark
• Egypt
• France
• Germany
• Israel
• India
• Indonesia
• Italia
• Iran
• Iraq
• Jordan
• Lebanon
• the moldive Islands
• Mexico
• Mongolia
• Myanmar
• Nepal
• Norway
• Sultanate of Oman
• Pakistan
• Peru
• Russia
• Saudi Arabia
• Singapore
• South Korea
• Sri Lanka
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Turkey
• The United Arab Emirates
• United kingdom
• Uzbekistan

For more questions there are questions and answers on Responsible Japanese Ministry website (in Japanese).