Japan Moving To Allow Individual Foreign Tourists

Above, actress Shelley Sweeney and yours truly at a Tokyo Starbucks in 2006.

The Japanese government is moving toward allowing individual foreign tourists into the country without having to be a part of a group tour.

NHK World reported that this plan is likely to start in September.

They wrote:

The Japanese government is moving to start accepting overseas tourists who do not want to take guided tours in a bid to address a decline in the numbers of foreign travelers visiting Japan.

The country reopened to foreign holidaymakers in June with the easing of anti-coronavirus border controls. But all tourists are still required to join guided tours and obtain a visa.

The tourists also have to comply with anti-infection measures, such as wearing masks, set under guidelines by the Japanese government.

The government's decision to further ease anti-coronavirus border controls came as the number of foreign tourists entering Japan stood at about 7,900 in July, well below pre-pandemic levels.

There is a catch in the plan:

But the government will continue to deny entry to individual travelers who don't make arrangements through travel agencies.

Sorry, but this isn't good enough, at least for me.

To read more, go here.

Only 8,000 Foreign Tourists Visit Japan In June, July

Above, the Asakusa Temple pagoda. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japan's "reopening" to foreign tourism still remains a dud.

Foreign tourists can visit the country only in group tours with several requirements such as obtaining a visa and showing negative PCR test results.. That policy is going over like a lead balloon in many people's eyes.

NHK World reported:

Japan's Immigration Services Agency says only about 8,000 foreign tourists arrived in June and July.

The country eased its anti-coronavirus border controls and reopened to foreign holidaymakers on June 10 for the first time in about two years.

The number of arrivals is capped at 20,000 per day.

Tourists from 102 countries and territories including the United States, South Korea and China are allowed to come, but only in group tours.

 To read more, go here.

Only 1,500 Foreign Tourists Visit Japan

Above, Godzilla in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japan's method of reopening to foreign tourists turned out to be a dud. Only 1,500 foreign tourists showed up in the month since reopening.

The time-consuming process of getting a visa and joining an organized group tour along with having negative PCR test results are cited as the reasons.

According to NHK World:

Japan's Immigration Services Agency says only about 1,500 foreign tourists entered Japan in the month since the country re-opened to sightseers on June 10.

Japan was effectively closed to foreign tourism for over two years due to the pandemic. Last month, visitors from 98 countries and territories were allowed back in.

The agency says during the month up to July 10, around 484,000 people entered the country in total. The figure translates to 12,000 per day, or about 60 percent of the upper limit of 20,000 that had been set by the government.

Sixty percent of them were Japanese citizens, and most of the foreign nationals who entered the country were business travelers or students. Only about 1,500 of the foreign entrants came for sightseeing.

To read more, go here. 

Japan Plans To End State of Emergency September 30

Above, Tokyo's Kappabashi Kitchen Town. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japan plans to end its state of emergency at the end of the month. Does this mean that foreign tourists will be allowed into the country soon?

Not necessarily. There has been no mention of allowing foreign tourists into Japan. But if coronavirus infections continue to drop, then a decision on permitting foreign tourists in will not be too far away.

On the state of emergency, the Asahi Shimbun reported:

The government plans to lift the COVID-19 state of emergency for all 19 prefectures that will end on Sept. 30 as scheduled, sources said.

It wants to avoid issuing pre-emergency measures for those prefectures once the emergency ends since the infection situation in Japan has been recently improving.

“I think that we can lift the state of emergency at the end of September if the current infection situation continues (to trend downward),” health minister Norihisa Tamura said during a Japan Broadcasting Corp. (NHK) TV debate program on Sept. 26.

The government will effectively decide on its plan at a Sept. 27 meeting to be attended by ministers responsible for responding to the health crisis.

If the government’s expert panel on countermeasures against COVID-19 discusses and approves the plan on Sept. 28, the government will make its official decision at the task force meeting.

To read more, go here. 

Foreign Visitors To Japan Plummeted in 2020

Above, Asakusa during normal times. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japan's tourism industry plummeted last year, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic.

NHK reported:

The coronavirus is having a crushing effect on Japan's tourism industry. The number of foreign visitors in 2020 fell nearly 90 percent from the previous year.

Officials at the Japan National Tourism Organization estimate the country received about 4.11 million visitors last year. That's down 87 percent year-on-year.

For a while, it seemed that Japan had gotten a handle on the pandemic, but new cases skyrocketed in recent months. 

To read more, go here. 

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum Temporarily Closed

Above, the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The coronavirus has hit Japan hard.

Months ago, it seemed that Japan was weathering the pandemic quite well and life was returning to some normalcy.

All that changed in recent weeks as the pandemic is hitting the country hard, so hard that the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum is now temporarily closed.

According to NHK:

A museum in Hiroshima that documents the 1945 atomic bombing of the city has been temporarily closed amid a surge in coronavirus cases.

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum is one of 45 facilities in the western Japanese city that officials have decided to temporarily close to reduce personal contact.

A notice at the entrance says the museum will remain closed until January 3. But people who have already made reservations will be allowed to enter.

To read more, go here. 

Kiyomizu Temple's Main Hall Roof, Stage Restored

Above, the stage of Kiyomizu-dera in 2015. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of Kyoto, Japan's famous landmarks is Kiyomizu-dera Temple. It is one of those "must-visit" sites in the city. 

It had even appeared in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II in 1993, which earned a mention on page 43 of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan. I last visited Kiyomizu-dera in 2015.

Kiyomizu-dera's main hall roof and stage have been restored.

NHK reported:

Kiyomizu Temple in Japan's ancient capital of Kyoto has held a ceremony to mark the renovation of the wooden stage and the new roof of the main hall.

The Buddhist ritual at the main hall on Thursday was attended by 24 people, including the construction workers.

Priests chanted a sutra and scattered pieces of paper cut in the shape of lotus flower petals.

The renovation work began in 2017, and the reroofing was completed in February. The Japanese cypress bark thatch has been renewed for the first time in 50 years. The new pieces are the same size as those used when the main hall was reconstructed in the early Edo period.

Above, Kiyomizu-dera makes an appearance in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read more, go here. 

Narita Airport Prepare For Arrival of COVID-19 Vaccine

Above, the international arrival lobby of Narita Airport. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

With some U.S. governors seemingly eager to lock down their states allegedly over a new spike in coronavirus infections, the news that a new vaccine by Pfizer is welcome as people are just exhausted over imposed restrictions.

That also goes for Japan as they eagerly await the delivery of vaccines.

NHK reported:

Officials at Japan's main international gateway are preparing to take delivery of some eagerly awaited cargo.

The staff at Narita Airport, near Tokyo, are working on the logistics to receive and distribute COVID-19 vaccines.

Japan has effectively reached a deal with US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer to buy enough vaccine for 60 million people. The challenge is to ensure the medication remains frozen between minus 60 and 80 degrees Celsius.

To read more, go here.

Ginza's "Pedestrian Paradise" Reopens

Above, the Wako department store at Ginza Crossing. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This is something I hadn't heard of until now.

Prior to its closure three months ago, a main street in the Ginza shopping district in Tokyo had been closed to vehicle traffic. When the pandemic struck, the "pedestrian paradise" (as it is called) was closed. I hadn't heard of this before.

Now, it has been reopened.

According to NHK:

For the first time in nearly three months, a street in Tokyo's Ginza shopping district has been reopened to pedestrian traffic only. 

On Saturday morning, police officers set up fences along the street in central Ginza to block vehicle traffic. 

The car-free zone, known as "Ginza Pedestrian Paradise", reopened at noon with a clock tower chiming a special tune to pay tribute to medical workers who are at the forefront of the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. 

The bell will ring again on Sunday.

To read more (which also includes a video), go here.

Number of Visitors To Japan Down 90% In March

Above, a movie/photo shoot at Senso-ji in Asakusa, Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since Japan has been a hotbed for coronavirus cases, thanks to China, the number of visitors to Japan had plummeted during March.

NHK reported:

Japan's Immigration Services Agency says the number of foreigners who entered the country in March fell by more than 90 percent from the same month last year, due largely to refused entries attributed to the coronavirus. 

Preliminary data from the agency shows that 152,162 foreigners arrived in Japan. That number excludes people who were given permission to re-enter. The figure was 2,504,193 in March, 2019.

To read more, go here. 

Tokyo Skytree Extends Closure

Above, the Tokyo Skytree. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Although there are some (especially within the U.S.) who would try to make political hay out of the coronavirus pandemic, there are those who are acting in the best interest of people.

The outbreak has caused many tourist venues in Japan to shut down. I blogged about the Disney resorts near Tokyo the other day.

Another is the Tokyo Skytree. It was going to reopen this coming Monday, but that plan has been scrubbed (that's NASA-speak for cancel).

According to NHK World:

The coronavirus is dealing a blow to major tourist attractions in Japan. The operator of Tokyo Skytree says it will extend its temporary closure. Japan's tallest tower had planned to reopen on Monday. 

The decision to delay came after the government on Tuesday called for a hold on major events or large gatherings for another 10 days. The operator says it has yet to decide when it will reopen.

To read more, go here. 

President Trump In Japan

Above, the Tokyo Skytree. Photo courtesy of President Trump.

President Trump is currently on a state visit to Japan.

NHK reported:

To welcome visiting US President Donald Trump, the landmark Tokyo Skytree tower has been lit up with a special design inspired by the US Stars and Stripes. Trump arrived in Tokyo on Saturday for a four-day visit to Japan. He is Japan's first state guest in the new Reiwa era.

Hours after arriving in Japan, the President and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe went golfing and took the selfie below.

Above, the President and Prime Minister. Photo courtesy of President Trump.

April's Foreign Visitors To Japan Hit Monthly Record

Above, Tokyo Bay, Odaiba and the Rainbow Bridge. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The number of foreign visitors to Japan hit a monthly record in April.

According to NHK World:

The number of foreign visitors to Japan hit a monthly record in April. But year-on-year growth was moderate. 

The Japan National Tourism Organization estimates that more than 2.92 million travelers came to the country last month. That's up 0.9 percent from a year earlier. 

The number of visitors from mainland China, which accounts for the largest share, increased 6.3 percent. The number from the United States rose 15.8 percent as this year's Easter holiday fell in April.

To read more, go here.

Narita Airport To Extend Operating Hours

Above, a China Airlines jet at Narita Airport. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

With the exception of two local municipalities near Narita International Airport, an agreement has been reached to extend the airport's operating hours.

The two municipalities object to the noise from planes from late night arrivals and departures.

NHK World reported:

Narita Airport, near Tokyo, is expected to extend its operating hours until midnight, starting in October. 

The transport ministry and the airport's operator had asked nine neighboring municipalities to allow the extension for one of the two runways until 12 midnight, one hour longer than now. 

The extension is aimed at receiving more visitors ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.

To read more, go here. 

NASA-Led Team Names Constellation "Godzilla"

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

The King of the Monsters was honored by NASA and astronomy researchers with a constellation name.

NHK reported:

An international team of researchers has given the name Godzilla to one of what it calls the modern constellations. The monster is among the most popular film characters created in Japan. 

The team, made up of US space agency NASA and worldwide astronomy researchers, announced 21 new gamma-ray "constellations" to mark the 10th year of operations of its Fermi satellite for astronomical observation.

The constellation was named "Godzilla" due to the "monster's trademark heat ray bears a resemblance to gamma-ray jets associated with black holes and neutron stars."

To read more, go here.

Graffiti Found At Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park

Above, the Atomic Bomb Dome at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Nothing is sacred anymore, not even in Japan's Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima.

Graffiti has been found at three locations within the park.

NHK reported:

Police in Hiroshima, western Japan, are investigating graffiti found at 3 places in the Peace Memorial Park. The park is home to the landmark Atomic Bomb Dome, which was damaged in the 1945 bombing. 

Police said on Tuesday that black, spray-painted markings were found on a bench near the dome, on a fence at the Peace Memorial Museum and on the door of a garbage disposal facility near a monument for the Korean victims of the bombing. 

Security guards found the graffiti on Monday morning. Workers were seen erasing the markings on Tuesday.

To read more, go here. 

Japan Tops 20 Million Foreign Visitors At Fastest Pace

Above, Fukuoka Tower. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The number of foreign visitors to Japan has reached 20 million at the fastest pace this year.

It reached that number on Wednesday, according to an article from NHK.

They reported:

20 million foreigners have visited Japan so far this year. It's the earliest in any year this milestone has been reached. 

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga revealed the new record to reporters on Monday in the town of Teshikaga in Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost prefecture.

To read more, go here. 

Tokyo Disneyland Celebrates 35th Anniversary

Above, my sole view of Tokyo Disneyland was from a train to Tokyo DisneySea. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It seems like yesterday that it was announced that there would be a Disneyland built near Tokyo. But the amusement park is celebrating its 35th anniversary.

I've never been to Tokyo Disneyland. I've heard it is like the one in Anaheim, except there's a roof over Main Street. Instead, I've been to Tokyo DisneySea.

According to NHK:

A ceremony was held at Tokyo Disneyland on Sunday to celebrate its 35th anniversary. 

Toshio Kagami, the chairman of park operator Oriental Land, said plans are underway to expand the popular amusement park, which is located in the city of Urayasu, near Tokyo. 

A total of 720 million people over the years have visited Tokyo Disneyland and nearby Tokyo DisneySea, which opened in 2001. 

Many fans hope the expansion will ease congestion at Tokyo Disneyland.

To read more, go here. 

New NHK World App Provides Disaster Alerts In English

Above, if Godzilla attacks, the NHK World app will alert you in English. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A new free app from NHK World will provide disaster alerts in English for those who are visiting Japan or don't understand Japanese.

News On Japan reported:

Tourists and residents in Japan who don't speak Japanese no longer need to be concerned about missing out on earthquake and tsunami alerts. 

Thanks to a new feature added on Feb. 1 to an app offered by NHK World, an English news channel provided by the public broadcaster, travelers or residents who don't speak Japanese will be able to receive emergency warnings on their smartphones in English. 

They will have the choice of turning on notifications for earthquake and tsunami warnings as well as breaking news alerts. The breaking news alerts will include J-Alert warnings and updates on weather-related incidents, such as volcanic eruptions and typhoons.

Unless things have changed, American smartphones have been pretty much useless in Japan.

To read more, go here.

Japan Modernizing Toilets To Boost Tourism

Above, a modern Japanese washlet toilet. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Foreigners who travel in Japan have a fear: having to use a Japanese squat toilet. Many fear that they would lose their balance in the middle of relieving themselves and fall backwards into the toilet.

Well, they can rest easier since the Japanese government plans to replace the "squatters" with western style sit-down toilets.

According to NHK:

The Japanese government will launch a project to convert all traditional squat toilets in popular tourist destinations into sit-on types that are more commonly used in other developed countries. 

The project is part of the government's efforts to boost the annual number of foreign visitors to 40 million by 2020, when Tokyo hosts the Olympics and Paralympics. The figure is about 1.7 times larger than that for 2017. 

According to the Japan Tourism Agency, about 40 percent of the toilets at 4,000 locations in popular tourist spots in Japan are traditional types which require users to squat over them. These toilets put off many foreign visitors.

One thing I have always wondered about: how do elderly people with back, leg and knee problems handle using the squatters? I would think that people with these problems would have great difficulty in using "the loo".

To read more, go here.