Japan takes cautious first step to reopen borders with ‘test tourism’ pilot

Japan is to allow foreign travellers from four countries this month, as part of a “test tourism” pilot ahead of plans for a broader reopening. The move, announced by the Japan Tourism Agency, marks the first – albeit small – step taken by the country to crack open its borders, which remain largely shut out to general travellers. Under the pilot programme, travellers from the USA, Australia, Thailand and Singapore can enter the country, provided they have received three doses of the coronavirus vaccine. “In this trial, we will verify how to comply with infection control … and emergency response [measures], formulate ‘guidelines’ that…travel agencies and accommodation operators should be aware of, and disseminate them to all concerned parties,” the agency says in a brief note on its website. According to Japanese media reports, around 50 travellers are expected from the four countries at the onset of the trial, with 10-15 tour groups expected. The Japan Tourism Agency adds that the trial programme was to have been rolled out in late-2021, but that the surge in infections caused by the Omicron variant had put pause on the pilot. <br/>