COVID-19 Omicron: non-resident foreigners banned from entering Japan

[thomas]

Three weeks after non-residents (fully vaccinated short-term business visitors, foreign students and technical interns) had been allowed to enter Japan under certain conditions, foreign visitors will be barred from entering Japan as of tomorrow.

Japan will again bar the entry of foreign visitors from Nov. 30 as a precautionary measure to ward off the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Nov. 29 also said Japan will strengthen quarantine measures for Japanese citizens returning from South Africa and eight other countries, as well as 14 countries and territories where infections with the Omicron variant were confirmed. The restrictions will require the returnees to stay for 10 days at designated facilities. "We will thoroughly carry out quarantine procedures at designated facilities, depending on the degree of their risks for infection," Kishida said.

The prime minister also said that 32 individuals have entered Japan from the nine African nations. Of these, a man returning from Namibia on Nov. 28 tested positive for the coronavirus. But it will take four to five days to determine through genome sequencing conducted at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases whether he is infected with the Omicron variant.

Japan to ban global travelers amid fears about Omicron variant | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

Japan to bar all new foreign visitors as omicron fears grow

The measures close the border to business travelers, foreign students and foreign interns starting Tuesday but it does not affect re-entry for Japanese nationals and foreign residents.

www.japantimes.co.jp

 

[mdchachi]

Three weeks after non-residents (fully vaccinated short-term business visitors, foreign students and technical interns) had been allowed to enter Japan under certain conditions, foreign visitors will be barred from entering Japan as of tomorrow.

I wonder how many people booked their tickets in the past couple weeks.

 

[thomas]

I'm following the Return to Japan FB group, and there seems to be a lot of confusion still, especially regarding MEXT students and scholars.

Good luck figuring out who's entitled to enter and who isn't:

Border measures to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19)

www.mofa.go.jp

Quarantine regulations:

https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/000860090.pdf

 

[Lothor]

One of the problems that has spread confusion has been the need for headline writers to write headlines in just a few kanji, and Japanese people in Japan (or native people in any country) have little knowledge or interest in the different types of foreigner in their country. As a result, headlines have implied that all foreigners have been banned from entering the country. The actual situation is that those already living in Japan can re-enter. I also feel very sorry for the students.

 

[mdchachi]

One of the problems that has spread confusion has been the need for headline writers to write headlines in just a few kanji, and Japanese people in Japan (or native people in any country) have little knowledge or interest in the different types of foreigner in their country. As a result, headlines have implied that all foreigners have been banned from entering the country. The actual situation is that those already living in Japan can re-enter. I also feel very sorry for the students.

They should allow long term visitors such as students.

 

[Lothor]

I agree. The number of foreign students entering Japan to study at university must be tiny compared with the number of Japanese people returning to the country from abroad after, for example, going on business trips. I'm a member of the FB group that Thomas mentioned, and it's clear that Japan's reputation as a place to study has been greatly damaged.

 

[nice gaijin]

what a mess! It's sad how little has been learned in the past two years. As if the virus gives a damn where you're from... rigorous screening processes are prudent, travel bans are just security theater; selective travel bans are just plain dumb

 

[thomas]

After nearly two years in limbo, this is another blow to language schools preparing for overseas students to arrive shortly.

Fukuoka Japanese Language School principal Hiroki Nagata said they were dejected upon seeing the news. "I'm in shock. I feel like we've been suddenly confined to darkness just as we thought we could see the light at the end of the tunnel," he said. The school usually has about 400 students from Vietnam, China and India, but currently, only 100 are studying on site. About 250 more cannot enter Japan despite having paid tuition. Of its 14 classrooms, three are currently in use. The others are lined with empty desks.

it's clear that Japan's reputation as a place to study has been greatly damaged.

I agree. It seems a lot of international students have decided to move on and study elsewhere.

Tokyo-based nonprofit International Foreign Students Association said that since 2021 began, there have been students who abandoned studying in Japan or opted to study in a different country. The association's administrative office head Itsue Shimizu said, "Rather than shutting out foreign students across the board, I want the government to respond with tough infection countermeasures while also creating a path for students to be able to enter the country."

Japan's sudden new foreign student entry ban leaves language schools dejected, frustrated - The Mainichi

The emergence of the new omicron coronavirus variant overseas has locked foreign students out of Japan again just three weeks after coronavirus border

mainichi.jp

 

[Petaris]

Looks like they have confirmed that it is the omicron variant: Japan confirms first case of omicron coronavirus variant

 

[Grandpa Frank]

In the interest of keeping the fear of covid on record highs , liberal scientists have released this thought.

 

[nice gaijin]

In the interest of keeping the fear of covid on record highs , liberal scientists have released this thought.View attachment 83575

Why politicize science? This is so tiresome.

 

[thomas]

The Japanese government is asking all airlines to stop taking new reservations for all incoming international flights until the end of December.

In a stunning move, the transportation ministry Wednesday directed airlines to halt reservations for incoming flights to Japan for one month amid growing fears over the omicron coronavirus variant. The ministry described the move as "an emergency measure" and said it would also apply to Japanese nationals. People with existing bookings will still be able to fly into Japan. "New flight reservations have been suspended, but we hope to cooperate with the transportation ministry to allow Japanese nationals to return home," a senior administration official said Wednesday evening.

Japan tells airlines to halt inbound flight bookings over omicron fears

People with existing bookings will still be able to fly into Japan despite the ‘emergency measure’ that came the same day the country logged its second case of the omicron variant.

www.japantimes.co.jp

Japan asks airlines to forgo new reservations until end of year | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

 

[mdchachi]

The Japanese government is asking all airlines to stop taking new reservations for all incoming international flights until the end of December.

Japan tells airlines to halt inbound flight bookings over omicron fears

People with existing bookings will still be able to fly into Japan despite the ‘emergency measure’ that came the same day the country logged its second case of the omicron variant.

www.japantimes.co.jp

Japan asks airlines to forgo new reservations until end of year | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

That's crazy. They should just enforce the two week quarantine if they're that worried about it. I can't imagine this will go down well because this will affect Japan natives significantly.

In the meantime I imagine they'll continue ramping up Go To Travel campaigns?

 

[thomas]

In the meantime I imagine they'll continue ramping up Go To Travel campaigns?

No news on Go To Travel, but yesterday the government decided to ban foreign residents from re-entering Japan from 10 countries in southern Africa (South Africa, Angola, Eswatini, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique and Lesotho) starting on 2 December as a countermeasure against the Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus.

The announcement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno on Dec. 1 followed a ban on new entries by foreigners from those countries after the heavily mutated Omicron variant was first reported in South Africa. "From the viewpoint of precautions, we will reject re-entry of foreigners with resident status for the time being unless their circumstances are exceptional," he said. Although Japan barred new entries of foreigners from around the world on Nov. 30, some travelers can enter Japan as exceptions if they are diplomats, in related fields or are relatives of Japanese residents. Matsuno indicated the government will apply these rules more strictly by carefully examining each case. Foreign students who have been granted full state scholarships had also been allowed to enter Japan for public interest purposes. Matsuno said the door has also been closed on these students.

Japan to deny foreign residents re-entry from 10 African countries | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

Abrupt ban on foreign travelers causing dismay, frustration | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

 

[thomas]

Flip-flop, flip-flop…. and, of course, it's the ministry's fault.

The Japanese government said Thursday it has withdrawn its request for airlines to completely stop taking reservations for inbound international flights this month in the wake of criticism the measure against the Omicron variant of the coronavirus goes too far. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida admitted the transport ministry's announcement the previous day had caused public confusion, telling reporters he instructed officials to "adequately take into account" people's wishes to travel home.

Japan drops blanket halt of inbound flight bookings after criticism - The Mainichi

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Japanese government on Thursday reversed its decision to completely halt bookings for inbound flights until the end of the year i

mainichi.jp

 

[thomas]

As of today, stricter quarantine rules will be imposed on travellers from India, Greece, Romania and four US states (Colorado, Hawaii, Minnesota and New York): they will be required to spend three days of their two-week quarantine period in government-designated facilities.

Japan expands tougher quarantine rules to India, Greece, Romania - The Mainichi

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- India, Greece and Romania, as well as four U.S. states, will be added Sunday to Japan's list of places from which returning Japanese

mainichi.jp

 

[thomas]

International travellers arriving at Narita will be shuttled to Nagoya for quarantine.

 

[mdchachi]

As of today, stricter quarantine rules will be imposed on travellers from India, Greece, Romania and four US states (Colorado, Hawaii, Minnesota and New York): they will be required to spend three days of their two-week quarantine period in government-designated facilities.

Japan expands tougher quarantine rules to India, Greece, Romania - The Mainichi

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- India, Greece and Romania, as well as four U.S. states, will be added Sunday to Japan's list of places from which returning Japanese

mainichi.jp

Well that's dumb. If it's a big concern they should just assume that all U.S. states have it. It's officially been found in 11 states now.

 

[Majestic]

These ever-changing regulations are a mess.