CAIXING GLOBAL



 

China will be removed from Japan’s list of banned countries from next month. Along with the Chinese mainland, restrictions will be lifted for 11 other countries and regions include Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Vietnam and Malaysia, according to the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper

Currently Japan does not permit travel to 159 countries and regions, but plans to downgrade its travel policy and advice regarding these 12 territories from a ban to a “refrain from unnecessary and non-urgent visits” in order to stimulate business stifled this year by pandemic-related travel restrictions.

Japanese businesses are particularly keen for their staff to start traveling to China and Southeast Asia, where many of their companies have factories.

Meanwhile, Chinese and other international business travellers with residency status in Japan will soon be permitted to reenter the country without undergoing two weeks’ quarantine, being tested for Covid-19 on entry instead. Japan hopes other countries will reciprocate and lessen their entry requirements in turn.

Besides replacing quarantine with Covid-19 testing on landing, travel to Japan for foreign executives will soon be simplified.

Nikkei reported that, “as of now, CEOs and executives have to come to Japan by private jet and can only stay in the country for a short time,” but that the country is considering allowing in chartered jetliners in the near future, dependent on coronavirus test capacity.