TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan can waive pre-departure COVID-19 tests for vaccinated travellers to the nation, but daily caps on entrants will stay in place, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida mentioned on Wednesday.
The requirement for medical tests will be lifted through Sept. 7, Kishida said. No decision has been made yet on the reported plan to increase a daily cap upon inbound travellers from 20, 000 to 50, 000, he added.
“We will keep on relaxing these procedures gradually, ” mentioned Kishida, who addressed reporters online when he is recuperating from COVID at his official residence.
Japan has maintained some of the strictest pandemic border measures among major economies, requiring vacationers to present a negative coronavirus test taken inside 72 hours of departure.
Kishida said in May that he wanted to provide Japan’s border measures more in line with the ones from other Group of Seven nations.
Japan in June opened up to travelers for the first time in 2 yrs, but requirements they apply for visas and stick to guided, package deal tours have kept actual numbers of inbound visitors small.
(Reporting by Rocky Quick and Elaine Is situated; Editing by Mary Hogue & Shri Navaratnam)