On the first day of September, I had a rather tricky one-week itinerary that took me from the U.S. to Germany, back into the U.S., and then back to Japan. This was because some of my plans in the U.S. and some of my plans in Germany overlapped, and I had to fly from the U.S. to Germany in order to make it in time. Before Corona, I used to be able to manage this kind of schedule, but after Corona, travel conditions became stricter, and I have avoided having a deformed schedule. However, Europe and the United States have already shifted to a “with Corona” lifestyle, and a new style is underway in which travel restrictions are not imposed while Corona measures continue to be taken. In the U.S., the first destination, the previously imposed restriction (bringing a negative PCR test certificate from the day before the flight to boarding) has been eliminated, and entry is now conditional on being vaccinated and being able to show proof of vaccination, if not a U.S. citizen. In Germany, the final destination of this trip, it is not even necessary to present a vaccination certificate to enter the country. In contrast, in Japan, the antigen test at the time of entry was abolished in June, but the restriction of not being allowed on board a plane without a “certificate of inspection (PCR or antigen test) within 72 hours before departure” continued to apply [Table 1]. On September 7, the quarantine measures upon return to Japan were also changed in accordance with the deregulation. The restrictions on entry into Japan are now the same as those in the U.S. [Table 2]. In summary, the differences between Japan, the U.S., and Germany are as follows. Table 1] Requirements before September 6, 2022 Japan U.S. Germany Vaccination certificate Required Required – Inspection within 72 hours before departure Required – – – [Table 2] Requirements after September 7, 2022 Japan U.S. Germany Vaccination certificate (3 times) Required Required – Inspection within 72 hours before departure – – – However, this rule is a requirement for Japanese nationals entering Japan. As for the entry of non-Japanese nationals, individual tourists who are not on tours are not allowed to enter (even in countries that were eligible for visa waiver before the Corona), and even for tours, the daily limit of 50,000 people is still strict. (Related article: “Government to Raise Maximum Number of Visitors to Japan to 50,000 from September 7, 2011, Allowing Entry by Unaccompanied Packaged Tours”).
The hurdle for returning to Japan has been lowered by far. Although it is now a requirement to have completed three valid vaccinations as specified by the government, the elimination of the “inspection certificate within 72 hours prior to departure from Japan” has dropped a major hurdle for returning to Japan. The fact that it used to cost from $100 (about 14,000 yen) to several hundred dollars (tens of thousands of yen) to obtain this inspection certificate, and that the time and trouble of having to travel to a distant clinic for the inspection has been removed, has made it easier for Japanese to go abroad and return home. There is no doubt about it. While it is still difficult to travel to areas such as China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, where quarantine is still in place, an increasing number of countries in Europe, the U.S., and Southeast Asia are removing the restrictions that have been in place. We may be approaching the stage where we can make concrete travel plans, such as spending time abroad at the end of the year or having face-to-face meetings with business partners overseas.
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