About Prime Minister Kishida's policy to exempt all immigrants, including Japanese, from submitting a negative certificate, which is required for new coronavirus border measures, on the condition of the third vaccination. International passengers at New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido gave a warm welcome.
At the international terminal of New Chitose Airport, after 1:30 pm, flights from Incheon Airport in South Korea arrived, and groups of tourists and others alighted one after another.
A Korean man who visited Hokkaido for the first time with his Japanese wife said, ``The PCR test is expensive, and it's troublesome to have to go to the hospital twice for just one piece of paper, so easing is good. It's news," he said.
A Japanese woman who returned to Hokkaido with her Korean husband said, "I don't want to be tested because it costs money. I think it will be easier to come to Japan from now on."
A Korean woman who participated in a group tour said, ``I think most people are already infected, so I don't think there's any point in testing. It was troublesome to go and get tested," he said.
According to the Sapporo Immigration Bureau, 1,404 foreigners entered Japan from New Chitose Airport last month, less than 1% of the roughly 189,000 in the same month in 2019, before the spread of the new coronavirus. Therefore, the focus will be on the degree to which the relaxation of border measures will lead to a recovery in the number of foreign tourists.
Even after resuming acceptance of foreign tourists, sluggish due to strict border measures
According to the Immigration Services Agency of Japan, the number of short-stay foreigners entering Japan for short-term stays, mainly for sightseeing and work, was about 2.39 million in January before the spread of the new corona infection.
However, due to the subsequent spread of infection, the government suspended the acceptance of foreign tourists for more than two years.
From June 10th, we resumed accepting tourists from 98 countries and regions, but the number of foreigners who entered the country with tourist visas was 252 in June and 7903 in July. The situation continues to be significantly lower than before the spread of infection.
It is pointed out that one of the reasons for this is the strict border control measures, and in order to enter Japan, it is necessary to obtain a visa and submit a negative proof of the new corona, which takes time and effort.
In addition, foreigners who can enter the country for sightseeing are limited to tourists, and tour conductors are required to accompany the entire journey.
For this reason, according to travel agencies, European and American travelers, who prefer to travel alone, have said, "Will a tour conductor accompany me until dinner time?" It is said that there were moves to cancel tourism in Japan and change destinations to other countries where relaxation was more advanced.