TOKYO – The Japanese government announced Thursday it will accept tour groups from 98 countries and regions, including the Philippines, beginning June 10.
Filipino tourists need to be in a package tour accompanied by a guide from a Japan-accredited travel agency who will monitor their activities and health status while in the country.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida revealed the plan to resume inbound tourism at an international conference held in the Japanese capital.
“We will resume accepting tourists on package tours with tour conductors from the 10th of next month,” he stated.
“In the future, while watching the infection situation, we will gradually aim for the same acceptance as normal times,” he added.
The Japanese premier also noted that they will increase the daily limit on the number of travelers allowed to enter the country to 20,000 from the current 10,000 from June 1.
“For countries with low positive tests at the time of entry, we will allow entry without conducting an entry inspection,” Kishida mentioned.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), the Philippines will be classified under the “blue” category, which means travelers will not be required to be vaccinated, take PCR testing upon arrival in the country, or undergo home quarantine.
Japan barred foreign tourists from entering the country since the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. - Florenda Corpuz
(Article cover photo: Haneda Airport on Jan. 9, 2022. Din Eugenio)