Just as Japan was starting to open up to some foreign arrivals, fears over the new Covid-19 Omicron variant had the country shutting its borders once again. As reported by The Japan Times, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced that Japan would be extending its tightened entry restrictions into 2022 to prevent the spread of the variant.
The restrictions were initially set to last one month, expiring by the end of December. This included the ban on new entry by foreign nationals, and requiring returnees (both Japanese nationals and foreign residents) to quarantine at government-designated facilities. No new end date on the beefed up entry rules has been announced yet, but Kishida said the rules would stay in place until more details are known about the Omicron variant.
According to the report, there are approximately 65 Omicron cases in Japan to date – the majority of those being found during airport testing or quarantine. The extension means all arrivals into Japan must quarantine for a full 14 days. Specific quarantine rules differ depending on the destination you arrive from. See our guide for more details.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
More news
These illuminations in Tokyo are only here until Christmas Day
Luxury onsen ryokan Yuen Bettei Daita is Setagaya’s best hidden secret
Shimokitazawa is getting a cool new development with a mini cinema
The Setouchi Triennale art festival will run over six months in 2022
3 of the coolest filmmakers in Japan you need to watch now
Want to be the first to know what’s cool in Tokyo? Sign up to our newsletter for the latest updates from Tokyo and Japan.