Japan is going to ease its travel restrictions, with some conditions. (Image via TripSavvy)

Japan to open itself for visitors with permit to stay

From October, Japan is going to open its borders for the foreign people with permits to stay for some time amid the major easing of restrictions to tackle the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The permit includes students and businesspeople, but not tourists.

Prime Minister (PM) of Japan, Yoshihide Suga, confirmed the regulations on Friday during a meeting with the COVID-19 response task force. Suga said that proceeding international travel to Japan is "indispensable" to revitalize Japan's crumbling economy. On a side note, the major easing of travel restrictions should also meet sufficient measures to prevent new hotbeds of COVID-19 infection in the country.

Economic revitalization minister, Yasutoshi Nishimura, said that Japan is going to allow foreigners with permits to stay for at least 3 months for specific purposes such as medical, cultural, and sport-related. Business trips less than 3 months will be allowed as well. The conditions are they need to be tested negative for COVID-19 before arrival, enter 14-day of self-quarantine and refrain from using public transportation during the said period. About 1,000 entries will be allowed daily, while Japan planned to upscale the virus testing capacity at its airports.

Japan began to see fewer COVID-19 infections in recent weeks, and local authorities had lifted restrictions on social and economic activities. The Japanese government is also struggling to revive travel and other sectors blown away by the pandemic by its "Go To Travel" subsidy campaign. For example, the domestics trip to and fro Tokyo will be paid by the program, previously excluded due to a spike of COVID-19 infection in the capital.

Source: https://bit.ly/363uElQ