Health

S’pore & Japan About To Agree On Green Lane Travel, Doors May Open In Sep

Singapore & Japan Working To Open Borders For Essential Travel By Sep

Since the ‘Circuit Breaker’ started, travel between Japan and Singapore has largely stopped. However, that may soon change after Japan Foreign Affairs Minister Motegi Toshimitsu arrived in Singapore.

On Thursday (13 Aug), Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan released a joint statement with Mr Motegi, announcing Singapore and Japan’s cooperation in opening borders to each other soon.

Source

They aim to have a “residence track” or green lane as soon as next month, with negotiations hopefully ending by the start of Sep.

The door might open between Japan and Singapore again.

Essential travel between Japan and Singapore

Under the forthcoming agreement, business travel will be able to take place between Japan and Singapore, with a special quota in place.

This should be similar to other green lanes that Singapore has set up with countries like Malaysia and China.

There’ll be a controlled itinerary for 14 days for business travelers, as well as public health safeguards in place.

While Singapore are setting up other green lanes with countries, for Japan, this will be one of the first countries they do it with.

Visited PM Lee in Istana

Along with the discussion Mr Motegi had with Dr Balakrishnan, he also paid a visit to the Istana and met Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

 

Source

PM Lee was happy to welcome him, saying he is the first foreign visitor to the Istana since border closures.

Source

Hopefully, there’ll be more visits to come as countries work together to deal with Covid-19.

Better news as countries cooperate

The Covid-19 pandemic is still a pressing issue to solve. But as countries work to control the outbreak internally, they also have to think about reopening their borders.

While full-scale leisure travel is unlikely to happen anytime soon, essential travel should be manageable with measures in place.

This example of Singapore and Japan will hopefully make it so that business relations can improve further, which can only be good news for both countries.

Featured image adapted from Facebook.

Jonathan Yee

Jonathan is a bedroom headbanger. His Kobo is never far from him.

Recent Posts

Continuous heavy traffic expected at S’pore-JB checkpoints till end of 2024: ICA

A record of more than 553,000 travellers crossed both checkpoints on 13 Dec.

22 Dec 2024, 7:25 pm

H5N1 poses ‘highest risk’ of becoming next pandemic, S’pore health authorities monitoring situation

There has been no year-end Covid-19 wave, as had been expected.

22 Dec 2024, 6:42 pm

Wagyu beef worth S$5,700 found in car entering JB from S’pore, M’sian driver arrested

The beef was imported without a veterinary health certificate and halal certification.

22 Dec 2024, 5:40 pm

Long queue forms at Jalan Besar Stadium for tickets to ASEAN Championship semi-final

One fan started queueing as early as 7am.

22 Dec 2024, 4:50 pm

Toys“R”Us in Japan sends parcels in plain boxes before Christmas, praised for protecting ‘Santa’s surprise’

The company made the change after parents said they wanted to make sure their gifts…

22 Dec 2024, 4:36 pm

Google Maps helps Spanish police arrest murder suspects caught transporting corpse on Street View

An incredible twist of fortune for the police -- and a stroke of bad luck…

22 Dec 2024, 2:59 pm