Japan Raises Cap On Daily Arrivals On Wednesday
Japan has doubled the daily limit on the number of people entering the country to 20,000, starting on Wednesday.
The country resumed new entries of foreign visitors other than tourists on March 1. The government raised the daily cap on arrivals to 5,000 on the same day, to 7,000 on March 14 and to 10,000 on April 10. It did so while watching the infection situation in Japan and around the world. They also observed quarantine measures at domestic airports.
The government also eased COVID-19 quarantine measures. Countries and regions have been divided into three groups, depending on risk factors such as rates of positive test results upon arrival in the past.
Visitors from 98 countries and regions in the low-risk group will be exempt from virus testing and self-quarantine even if they have not been vaccinated against the coronavirus.
People from 99 countries and regions in the medium-risk group are exempted from tests and self-quarantine if they have received three shots of COVID-19 vaccine.
The government plans to resume accepting foreign tourists from June 10 for the first time in about two years. Those tourists will be limited to people from the low-risk group and must be part of tours accompanied by attendants.
The government will consider further easing while closely watching the infection situation.
Observers say the challenge is whether new steps will lead to a recovery in social and economic activities while controlling infections.