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[UPDATED] Here’s Everything You Need to Know About Traveling to Japan!

Ciary Manhit

Last updated 2 Apr 2024

people walking around in Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo

Photo credit: sofi5t on Pixabay

IMPORTANT UPDATE

Japan announced that starting 5 April 2023, inbound travelers will be required to undergo testing for COVID-19 upon arrival. They will also need to submit either:

a certificate showing a negative test result for COVID-19 taken within 72 hours of departure, or
a valid COVID-19 vaccination certificate of 3 doses or more.

Additionally, starting 8 May 2023, all COVID-19 travel restrictions will be lifted – meaning COVID-19 vaccination and testing will no longer be a requirement for entry into Japan.

Is Japan open for travel?

This is not a drill! Japan will finally fully reopen its doors again to tourists this October 11, 2022! If like us, you’re itching to go shopping in Tokyo, excited to spend a day at the new Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios, or even ready to explore the whole of Japan with the super convenient JR Pass, this is your time!

Back in June 2022, Japan started to allow tourists to enter as part of small group tours coming from certain countries like Singapore, Australia, Thailand, and the United States. However, this October, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has now announced that starting October 11, 2022, entry restrictions will be further relaxed! This includes the removal of the cap on the number of entering tourists, resumption of visa-free travel for select countries, and allowing free individual tourists to travel to Japan without the need of being part of a small group tour or booking via an accredited travel agency.

Sugoi! Are you just as excited as we are? We’ve prepared a short Japan travel restrictions guide to inform you about all there is to know about their current tourism guidelines and what you need to take note of:

Knowing your zone and its entry requirements!

Japan has divided the world's countries into three zones for entry: Red, Yellow, and Blue! And each of them comes with their own vaccination and quarantine rules. Make sure to check what zone your country falls under and see what specific conditions must be met before you book your flight! However, do note that Japan will assess your eligibility based on your 14-day travel history prior to arrival in the country. If you’ve visited a country in the Yellow or Red groups, you will be subjected to the following measures in the indicated color zone:

Vaccinated with Certificate	On-Arrival Test	Quarantine Period
🟦 Blue Group
No	Not required	Not required
Yes	Not required	Not required
Notable Countries: Australia, Cambodia, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Indonesia, Italy, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States of America. Complete list here
🟨 Yellow Group
No	PCR	3-day home quarantine + negative result of a voluntary test or 5-day home quarantine without test
Yes	Not Required	Not Required
Notable Countries: India, Macau, Maldives, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Vietnam. Complete list here
🟥 Red Group
No	PCR	3-day quarantine at a designated facility + negative PCR test at the facility
Yes	PCR	3-day home quarantine + negative result of a voluntary test or 5-day home quarantine without test
Countries: None at the moment

Japan Entry Requirements: What else do I need?

Now you know what color zone your country falls under and its entry requirements, what’s next? As part of Japan reopening its borders to the world, there are still a number of things you’ll need to have before you can enter. Here’s a helpful checklist you can use to make sure you’ve got it all!

1. Pre-register your Covid-19 documents on Visit Japan Web

Initially, all travelers were required to download the MySOS App to report their health condition and location to help fast-track the entry process into Japan. Beginning November 1, 2022, travelers must now register through Visit Japan Web for quarantine, immigration, and customs declaration procedures.

However, if you are a traveler that has already previously registered on MySOS, you can still use the app until January 13, 2023.

Here’s a quick step-by-step to help you through the Visit Japan Web application process:

Step 1: Before your flight, create an account on Visit Japan Web and log-in

Step 2: Register the following information:

Your personal information and any family members accompanying you during your trip
Flight, accommodation, and planned entry to Japan details

Step 3: Once you're done filling up the information above, register for the following arrival procedures:

Quarantine (Fast Track). You will submit your vaccination certificate OR COVID test certificate for a test taken less than 72 hours before your flight departure (if required) under this
Immigration (*Disembarkation Card)
Customs Declaration (Personal effects and Unaccompanied Articles Declaration)

Step 4: Once you’ve successfully submitted all the necessary requirements, you will get a blue notification and be given generated QR codes for each arrival procedure.

If the notification is red, this means that you are not registered and that there is a problem with your application. Don't worry, the application will state which requirements you are missing

Step 4: Upon arrival in Japan, show the QR codes for each arrival procedure for clearance:

Quarantine
Immigration
Customs

For more information, you can check out this detailed guide to help you finish your application.

*Disembarkation card is not required for Japanese citizens and foreigners with re-entry permissions

2. Japan Vaccination Requirements

For those that have already been boosted and want to enjoy quarantine-free travel during their trip, please note that Japan only recognizes the following COVID-19 vaccines to be considered as a vaccinated traveler:

Comirnaty/Pfizer (Third dose required)
COVAXIN/Bharat Biotech (Only 2 doses required)
Janssen & Janssen (Only 1 dose required)
Moderna (Third dose required)
Nuvaxovid/Novavax (Third dose required)
Vaxzevria/AstraZeneca (Only 2 doses required)

Klook tip: Make sure to remember to have your certificate or proof of vaccination that indicates that you’ve been boosted with any of these vaccines on hand to avoid any possible issues when you arrive.

3. Japan Visa Requirements

Depending on where you’re from, you might need to apply for a visa as well. Right now, there are 68 countries eligible for visa exemptions, with some having certain conditions. See Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs' list of visa-free countries to see if you’re exempted!

Book your dream Japan adventure on Klook!

Once you’re all set, you’re ready to fly! Check out our list of new things you can do in Tokyo, what street food you can’t miss out on in Dotonbori, and our on what JR Pass to get if you’re still trying to figure out how to make the most of your visit to The Land of the Rising Sun!

Book all your exciting Japan experiences and activities on Klook!