Entry regulations for ​Japan




October 1, 2022

Japan reopens to independent travelers

From October 11, 2022, the requirement to arrange travel and visas through travel agencies is canceled

For entry, you will need to present one of the following documents:

  • Certificate of the full course of vaccination + booster vaccination (drugs produced in Russia are not approved)
  • Test for coronavirus (certificate must be issued according to the sample)

All visitors, without exception, must install the MySOS application on their smartphones and be registered in it.

The restriction on daily arrivals of 50,000 people will also be lifted.

This was stated by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Moreover, citizens of those states with which Japan has signed agreements on visa-free entry will again be able to come to the Land of the Rising Sun only with a passport.



September 7, 2022

Japan reopens to individual travelers

From September 7, 2022, foreigners (individual tourists – not to be confused with "independent tourists") can arrive in Japan outside the framework of a group tour, but on the condition that they book flights and accommodation through a travel agency

This is reported by the Japanese media, citing a government representative. In this case, travel agencies will know "the whereabouts of the traveler on a particular day."

This means that planning a trip on your own will not work – both the flight and the hotel must be booked through an agency. The only difference is that now it will be possible to go to Japan alone or as a couple, and not as part of a tourist group.

Travelers who wish to stay in accommodation not offered by travel agencies on their package tours will be denied entry, such as private apartments and/or small hotels. Also, tourists who refuse to book accommodation in advance will not be allowed into the country.

Tour operators are still waiting for clarification on escort from the Japanese side. In particular, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said last week that individual tourists will be able to travel unaccompanied as part of a tour package, but there is still no concrete answer on this issue.

Also from September 7, Japan will increase the daily arrival limit from 20,000 to 50,000 people. The limit is set so that airport employees can cope with the more difficult immigration process that exists due to the coronavirus. The restriction will also allow the government to react quickly if a new variant of the virus "of concern" emerges.

Foreign tourists vaccinated with vaccines not approved in the country cannot enter Japan with a vaccination certificate. They will need a PCR test done no earlier than 72 hours before arrival. Tourists who have been vaccinated with domestically approved vaccines and who have had a booster vaccination are not required to provide PCR test results before leaving Japan. For the unvaccinated, the rule about requiring a PCR test remains.

The following COVID-19 vaccines have been approved in Japan:

  • Moderna
  • Novavax
  • Oxford/AstraZeneca
  • Pfizer/BioNTech

To visit Japan, you must apply in advance for a short-term 90-day single entry visa. Visas are issued at Japanese embassies and consulates within five or more days. Acceptance of documents, including for tourist visas, was resumed on May 30, 2022, but all visas are also made through travel agencies. A complete list of documents for obtaining a tourist visa is published on the website of the embassy.



June 1, 2022

Japan lifts quarantine for arrivals from countries of the "blue" group

From June 1, 2022, quarantine for foreigners arriving from 98 countries of the "blue" group is canceled in the country.

The list is published on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country.

For entry, you will need a PCR test done 72 hours before departure. Tests on arrival have been cancelled.

Recall that from May 30, Japan resumed accepting documents for tourist visas. Independent trips are not yet possible, but the country is opening up for organized tourists. For entry, you will need an additional document from a Japanese travel company, which acts as a guarantor. Such a document is issued through the tour operator with whom the trip is booked.



May 30, 2022

Japan resumes acceptance of tourist visas

From May 30, 2022, acceptance for tourist visas has resumed.

So far, it’s not possible to go to Japan on your own. From June 10, the country will open only for tourists traveling as part of organized tourist groups. That is, you have to buy a tour from tour operators.

To obtain a Japan visa, an additional document (called an ERFS Registration Confirmation) is required from the Japanese travel company that will receive the tourist. Such a document is issued through the tour operator with whom the trip is booked.

The rest of the set of documents for a Japanese visa can be found on the embassy website.

To enter the country, you will need to do a PCR test 72 hours before departure. You don't need to do a test on arrival.


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