Japan reopens to foreign tourists

All Nippon Airways (ANA) planes during the Covid-19 pandemic at Tokyo International Airport, Japan, October 23, 2020. REUTERS - ISSEI KATO

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For the first time in more than two years, Japan will reopen its borders to foreign tourists this month.

At least a handful of them, hailing from four designated countries: the United States, Australia, Thailand and Singapore.

On an experimental basis: these tourists will visit certain places in the archipelago as part of organized trips under high surveillance.

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With our correspondent in Tokyo,

Japan will engage in a “Zero Covid” scientific experiment on a yet to be defined number of foreign tourists.

They will only be able to visit the archipelago in groups, under the supervision of official guides.

Their routes will be fixed in advance.

And for good reason, only fifteen of the 47 Japanese prefectures have agreed to receive them.

They must have received three doses of a vaccine against Covid-19, and have taken out private medical insurance.

Within 72 hours before their flight to Japan, they must test negative for Covid-19, and be tested again upon arrival in the country

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Since March, Japan has been welcoming business travelers, students and foreign workers again at the rate of 10,000 a day.

Their number could double from June.

These organized trips of tourist-guinea pigs should last until September.

Autumn could mark the return of individual tourists.

The government is forced to carry out such a careful verification of the contagiousness of foreign tourists because the majority of the Japanese are for the maintenance of the closure of their borders, even if it costs the economy of the country.

In 2019, Japan welcomed 31.9 million foreign tourists.

Their expenditure was estimated at 0.9% of GDP, according to a study by Société Générale.

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• Japan

• Coronavirus

• Tourism

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