When Will Japan Open To Tourists?

Above, G-TOUR in Kamakura in 2004. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The pressure is mounting on the Japanese government to reopen its borders to foreign tourists. Japan has been closed off to foreign tourism for over two years due to the pandemic.

Now the Japan Times is asking when will Japan reopen its borders to foreign tourists.

They begin with:

More than two years since Japan closed its borders to tourists due to the pandemic, the country is counting the cost. One Kansai University professor puts the loss stemming from the lack of foreign visitors at ¥10.96 trillion in 2020 alone, suggesting that over two years it could be at least ¥22 trillion.

With that in mind, many are asking when Japan will reopen its borders to tourists.

There is growing momentum toward taking that step, with private-sector advisers to a government council urging Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s administration on April 27 to gradually reopen Japan’s borders to international tourists.

“To recover from the substantial decline in foreign tourists, (the government) should resume tourism entries in phases,” said the proposal from business representatives, including the chairman of Japan’s top business lobby, that was submitted to the Council of Economic and Fiscal Policy.

Adding to the sense of loss is the fact that traveling to Japan has become more affordable due to the weakening yen, but the country isn’t able to cash in due to the closed borders.

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