Japan begins trial to allow in small foreign tour groups

Japan's government on Tuesday started a trial reopening to foreign tour groups, as a first step toward a planned wider relaxation of rules in June, as the country emerges from a long border shutdown due to COVID-19. The government will draw up guidelines for a safe revival of tourism from information gathered in this trial. However, with only 50 participants in the project, there are worries that there will not be enough data collected, which could delay a full reopening. Japan has already opened to foreigners, to an extent, with a limit of 10,000 visitors per day but these arrivals tend to be workers and students under special visas. On Tuesday afternoon, a group of tourists arrived from the U.S. at Tokyo's Narita Airport. They will stay for eight days, taking tours to popular destinations such as Nikko Toshogu Shrine in Tochigi Prefecture and Matsumoto Castle in Nagano Prefecture. "I want to see the difference between Hawaii and Japan on measures to prevent infections at tourist spots and restaurants," said one of the participants, a woman who runs a travel agency in Hawaii. Six travel agents will take a total of 15 groups during the trial period that lasts until early June. Tourists from Singapore, Thailand and Australia are also expected to take part in the project. Each tour group will comprise up to four people, who will be accompanied by a tour guide. These tourists will have their temperatures taken daily. The tour guides will also carry antigen test kits, and if an infection is suspected, arrangements will be made with local medical facilities.<br/>