Japan will open its doors back up to vaccinated foreign tourists, after more than two years of closed borders due to the Covid pandemic. Tourists will be able to visit the country without a visa, and will no longer need to go through a travel agency, from eleven October. A cap on daily arrivals will also be lifted. Visitors will still need to prove their triple vaccination status and submit a negative Covid test result to enter.
The anticipated influx of travelers will be a welcome boost to government and local businesses, and comes as the Japanese yen has slid to its slowest point against the US dollar in six months. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also announced a domestic travel incentive scheme that will give discounts on travel, theme park prices, sporting events and concerts.