Japan To Shorten Quarantine To 10 Days

Above, Toho Studios in the Setagaya section of Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japan is about to shorten quarantine time for vaccinated foreign nationals who enter the country to 10 days from 14.

The policy is very odd since people have limited amounts of time for travel and being in self-quarantine for even 10 days would be a hardship. So why bother to even go there?

Even with this easing, Japan's policy of entering the country is confusing, to put it mildly. To see why, read below, especially the parts in bold. It reminds me of the old saying, "A camel is a horse designed by a committee."

According to the Japan Times (some snippets): 

Good news for people planning to travel or return to Japan: The government is expected to shorten the period of self-isolation upon arrival for vaccinated people from 14 to 10 days — the first time the nation will have eased quarantine measures since the beginning of the year.

The revised quarantine measures, likely to be announced Thursday, will only apply to people who have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine approved in Japan — Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca.

The revision is expected to take effect as early as the end of September.

At present, all people traveling to Japan need to get tested twice — within 72 hours before their departure and on arrival — before they go into the mandatory self-isolation period.

Depending on where they come from and the pandemic situation there, some arrivals are required to stay in government-designated facilities for a certain period of time ー ranging from three to 10 days ー and undergo additional COVID-19 tests as part of their two-week quarantine. Others can isolate at home or an accommodation of their choosing.

At present, only Japanese citizens and foreign nationals with a valid residence status are allowed to enter Japan. Exceptions are made only for those seeking entry under exceptional circumstances.

However, Japan has banned foreign nationals with residence status from entering Japan if they are traveling from certain regions and nations such as India and many of its neighboring countries, which had been struggling to contain the virus.

It is bizarre that at first Japan says foreign nationals can enter, but have to be quarantined. Then they say they can't enter unless they have a "valid residence status". 

It is probably best to not even bother going there until the pandemic is over.

To read the full article, go here.