UPDATE
Today, the Japanese government announced that it will be allowing "non-escorted package tours" from September 7. It will also raise the daily entry cap to 50,000 from the current 20,000. This comes after the confirmation that pre-departure testing will no longer be required for vaccinated and boosted travellers, also from September 7 onwards.
Currently, international travellers are only allowed to travel in Japan as part of an organised tour group, complete with a fixed itinerary and chaperone at all times. It's not clear what a "non-escorted package tour" looks like yet, but we can guess that tourists will still have to join tour groups to enter Japan, just without a 24/7 babysitter. What we can be sure of is that free-and-easy, individual travel is still not allowed. Bummer.
Japan has also not lifted the visa requirement for international travellers, so that means that Singaporeans will still have to apply for one before entering the country.
For some, this is a welcome easing of restrictions. But for those of us who prefer to travel within Japan at our own time and leisure – settle in for a bit more of a wait.
23 August, 2022
Singaporeans really, really want to travel to Japan. According to a YouGov survey, it's the most considered holiday destination among Singaporeans – and it's not hard to see why, with its fresh and delicious cuisine, top-notch sake breweries, rich cultural attractions, and other hidden gems to explore.
The only reason that Singaporeans have not been flocking to the country now that travel has restarted is down to the strict regulations around entering Japan. But it looks like that's about to change – with news outlets like Nikkei Asia signalling a potential easing of entry rules.
According to Japanese news outlets, the country's government is considering an end to Covid-19 pre-departure testing rules. If confirmed, tourists entering Japan will no longer have to produce a negative test result taken within 72 hours of departure. This could take effect in as soon as a few weeks time.
Japan is also weighing the possibility of doubling the number of tourists allowed to enter the country. The current cap stands at 20,000, but it could be raised to 50,000 as soon as next month.
That's a lot of 'could's and 'maybe's – it all depends on Japan's Covid-19 case counts. Whatever it is, you can bet that we've got our fingers and toes crossed for good news. Stay tuned for more updates.
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