Japan reopening: What are the current travel rules and do I need a Covid test?

The country reopened to individual tourists on 11 October

Mount Fuji, Japan, in autumn (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Japan has reopened to individual British tourists ‒ that is, not people booked on an organised tour - for the first time in two-and-a-half years.

As of midnight on Tuesday 11 October, Britons are allowed to book independent trips to the country once more, with the government also removing its cap of 50,000 daily arrivals.

Japan has had a slow, phased reopening, with just a trickle of tourists and visas allowed at first.

Since June, Britons have been able to visit on a private, guided tour from an approved operator, with tests; in September this was expanded to include self-guided tours around the country.

But only now can independent tourists fly there with no tour booked. However, test and vaccination rules still apply.

So what do you have to plan for ahead of a trip to Japan?

Here’s everything you need to know.

Do I need to be vaccinated to visit Japan?

You don’t need to be fully vaccinated to visit Japan, but how many vaccine jabs you have does determine whether or not you need to pay for a pre-travel Covid test.

The only way British passport holders can avoid having to book a PCR test is if you have had three doses of a (two initial jabs and a booster), with the booster having been the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine. AstraZeneca is not recognised as a booster in Japan (though your initial two doses can be AstraZeneca). If you fit this booster criteria, you may enter the country with your NHS Covid Pass alone.

Who needs to take a Covid test before a trip to Japan?

If you do not fit this criteria - i.e. you have only had two doses of a vaccine, one dose, or are unvaccinated - you must arrange a professionally-administered PCR test within 72 hours before your flight and show a negative certificate in the approved format.

There are details of what needs to be visible on a Covid test result here.

Children up to the age of 17 may follow the same rules as their parent or guardian - so if their parent or guardian is triple-vaccinated with the approved vaccines, they may enter without a test result.

Is there a passenger locator form?

Sort of. Visitors to Japan must complete information on the MySoS app or website, including signing a written pledge to abide by the Japanese rules on self-isolation and other Covid measures.

Once you’ve sorted out whether you’re entering on a Covid Pass or a test result, go to the MySOS website or download the app to upload the documentation and fill in the “Fast Track” questionnaire. With the NHS Covid Pass, make sure it is within its expiry date before you upload. You need to complete this at least six hours before your flight’s scheduled arrival time.

Children aged 12 and under can be registered on a parent or guardian’s form; children aged 13 and over need their own form filled in.

You then need to go to the Visit Japan website in order to pre-register your details, after which you will receive a QR code.

In a pleasantly simple format, your MySOS form or app turns blue when your application is approved, so at the border you need only show this blue display to pass Covid checks. You show this at airport “Quarantine” stations, and your QR code at Customs and Immigration.

Will I be able to get a visa?

If you’re heading there on holiday, you don’t need one. As of 11 October, Japan has reverted to pre-Covid-19 visa rules, so Britons arriving for tourism reasons can enter for up to 90 days without a visa.

You may be asked for details of your return or onward journey from Japan, and you should make sure your passport is valid for the whole duration of your trip.

Do I need to book an organised tour to visit Japan?

No. The confusing rules around having to book a tour with certain, approved operators was scrapped on 11 October. Anyone who can book a flight to Japan can arrive as a tourist.

What are the Covid rules on the ground?

British travellers will find Japan somewhat stricter than the UK and many European countries when it comes to Covid guidelines. Masks are recommended and commonly worn indoors and in crowded places. Social distancing and frequent hand sanitising are recommended across the country.

Anything else to know?

Though airlines are ramping up their services, there are still limited flights from the UK to Japan. As such, prices have swelled due to lack of supply and rising demand. Japan Airlines (JAL), British Airways and All Nippon Airways (ANA) have some direct flights from London Heathrow to Tokyo Haneda; while cheaper fares are likely with connecting services via the Middle East, Europe or Turkey with the likes of Etihad, Turkish Airlines and Finnair.

Japan has very strict drug laws, so it’s worth reading up on which medications are banned or restricted before you travel.