All eyes have been on Japan since the resumption of air travel this year, as many waited with bated breath for Japan’s borders to reopen fully.
Good news. We have a date. Japan will now allow visa-free entry for individual travellers on 11 Oct.
Source: Unsplash
The daily cap on the number of people entering the country will also be removed, offering greater freedom to tourists who’ve been waiting to savour ramen and admire cherry blossoms in spring again.
According to Nikkei Asia, Prime Minister Fumo Kishida made the announcement on Thursday (22 Sep) in New York, affirming Japan’s post-pandemic goal to revive the tourism industry.
Currently, Japan’s borders are partially open, only allowing package tours. All travellers will also need a visa to enter the country.
With the restoration of visa-free and individual travel, the daily arrival cap of 50,000 will also be removed.
From 11 Oct, short-term visitors no longer need to apply for tourist visas and visit travel agencies to book tours.
Bloomberg reports that the long-awaited move also coincides with the yen slipping to a 24-year low against the dollar in early September.
This means most overseas tourists can get a little more bang for their buck when they visit.
To further spur domestic tourism, Mr Kishida also noted that the government would introduce discounts for domestic travel.
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Featured image adapted from Unsplash.