I have noticed much more foreigners wandering around Tokyo this spring.
Regulations have loosened up slightly first allowing students and some business travelers to enter Japan early spring.
We know a family who have moved to Japan in mid-April from New Zealand after waiting for months for the green light to land in Japan. The family was surprised that most people in Japan are still wearing a mask and how clean Tokyo is.
A few weeks ago, Japan have allowed foreign resident’s parents to enter Japan as long as they are triple vaccinated with a negative PCR results. We also know an expat who’s anticipating their parents arrival in a couple of months.
It was also mentioned that Japan will start loosening up the borders to align with the rest of G7, and Japanese prime minister, Mr Kishida announced that Japan will welcome international tourists from June.
This week, Japanese government has announced that Japan will start accepting triple vaccinated tourists in a tour group from the US, Australia, Thailand and Singapore as early as later this month on a trial basis. This will be the preparation for the opening in June. I hope that the process will be smooth as our friends waited 5 hours to leave the airport after returning from their home country. I cannot imagine tens and thousands of people jam packing the airport to receive their PCR results before being allowed to leave the airport!
There have been talks about reducing mask mandates (and maybe getting the hand dryers back in the bathroom?!); cautiously and cautiously, Japan is ready to go back to the way things were before the pandemic.
On a personal note, I’m delighted that we finally have a guest in our home in Tokyo; our first since 2019 October – my sister who lives in Germany!
I’m curious to find out the differences and delights she’ll find from being back in Japan after being away for 7 years.
I hope you have a safe and good weekend, I sure know I will!
Native Expat 