Japan set to resume visa-free tourist travel in October

A view of the domestic departure lobby of Tokyo’s Haneda airport on July 25, 2020. AFP FILE PHOTO

TOKYO – Japan is expected to lift a ban on individual tourist visa requirements and remove a limit on daily arrivals in October, as it aims to benefit from a rebound in global tourism, Nikkei reported Thursday.

Following the change, Japan will not require visas for short-term travelers from the United States and certain other countries, and will scrap the daily entry cap of 50,000 people, the media outlet said.

ST understands that Singapore will be one of the countries where tourists will not be required to have a visa to enter Japan.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is expected to announce the changes in the coming days, the report said.

With the yen languishing near a 24-year low against the dollar, owing to a hawkish US Federal Reserve, the Japanese government could benefit from capitalizing on the increased buying power of tourists by easing travel requirements, the report added.

Japan last week raised the daily ceiling of inbound travelers to 50,000 from 20,000. It eliminated a requirement for pre-departure Covid-19 tests, easing what has been among the most restrictive border measures among major economies.

Before the pandemic, Japan did not require tourist visas for 68 countries and regions.

RELATED STORIES

Japan plans to scrap cap on international arrivals

Relaxation of border controls brings bustle back to Japan’s Haneda