Japan to Drop COVID-19 Testing, Vaccination Protocols Next Month — What to Know

Alison Fox
·2 min read
2

"All border measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 will be lifted on May 8, 2023,” the Japan National Tourism Organization announced.

<p>Laphon Pinta/Getty Images</p>

Laphon Pinta/Getty Images

Japan will end all COVID-19-related border restrictions on May 8, making it one of the last remaining countries to drop pandemic-era rules for visitors.

“Notice: All border measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 will be lifted on May 8, 2023,” the Japan National Tourism Organization posted on its website. “Those who are entering Japan on or after May 8, 2023, will not be required to present a Valid Vaccination Certificate or a Covid-19 Negative Test Certificate.”

Japan first reopened to individual travelers last year, but went through a series of rule changes, initially only welcoming travelers on supervised tours before eventually welcoming independent travelers back in the fall of 2022.

Currently, all travelers heading to Japan are required to show either proof of three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine or proof of a negative test conducted within 72 hours of departure, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization.

In addition to easing restrictions for travelers entering the country, Japan also eliminated mandatory mask wearing on March 13, according to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, instead advising “the use of [a] mask will depend on personal choices.” The ministry still recommends people wear masks in certain situations, including in “crowded settings such as crowded commuter trains and buses.”

Japan is one of the last countries in Asia to drop COVID-19-related border rules. Earlier this year, Hong Kong dropped all pandemic-era entry rules as did Singapore. That followed several countries doing the same last year, including Thailand and the Maldives.

China, which maintained one of the strictest borders in the world during the pandemic, has also resumed issuing international tourist visas, according to the  Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States of America. Travelers must still undergo testing, according to the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in China.

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