Japan To Allow Package Tours Starting June 6

Above, the Godzilla statue at Toho Studios in Setagaya. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The following from the Japan Times may or may not be speculation, but if it is correct, it looks like the planned G-TOUR for this fall qualifies. 

The prime minister is to make the announcement (unless he already has) sometime today.

According to the Japan Times:

The government will allow foreign tourists to enter Japan on package tours from June 6, TV Asahi reported late Wednesday, paving the way for the full resumption of inbound tourism, which has been suspended for more than two years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is expected to make the announcement as early as Thursday.

The expected move comes after Japan began a trial of package tours involving foreign tourists on Tuesday. The visitors need to be vaccinated three times, including a booster shot, to participate in the tours, which each consist of a small number of people.

Japan is currently the only Group of Seven country still refusing to allow the normal entry of foreign tourists.

I do wonder, if this is correct, how many in package tour will they allow in? "Small number", what do they mean by that?

To read more, go here. 

UPDATE:

Tour groups will be allowed into Japan on June 10, it has been announced.