Japan’s government is planning to waive tourist visa requirements from some countries as part of a further easing of border controls enacted to stop the spread of COVID-19, Fuji News Network reported on Monday.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida may decide as early as this week on the easing, which would also allow individual travellers to visit Japan without travel agency bookings, FNN reported. Japan did not require tourist visas for 68 countries and regions before the pandemic.
The government may scrap a daily cap on arrivals by October, the Nikkei newspaper reported on Sunday.
Deputy chief cabinet secretary Seiji Kihara said on a television programme on Sunday that “a weak yen is most effective in attracting inbound tourism,” adding that further steps must be taken to draw in foreign visitors.
Japan last week raised the daily ceiling of inbound travellers to 50,000 from 20,000 and eliminated a requirement for pre-departure COVID tests, easing what have been among the most restrictive border measures among major economies.
Travel bookings have increased since the easing was announced last month, but a true recovery will be delayed as long as visitors are still required to get visas to enter the country, said Japan Airlines Co. executive Koji Masumura.
“Although the number has been raised to 50,000 people this time, my personal guess is that it will not reach this level without the participation of overseas individual travellers,” Masumura said.
Tourists must still register with licensed Japanese travel agencies before applying for a visa at embassies and consulates, where it can take months to get a reservation, according to travel industry sources.
Masakazu Tokura, chairman of the powerful Keidanren business lobby, said on Monday that the easing of border measures wasn’t enough. Foreign chambers of commerce have said the lack of visa-waiver eligibility for business and tourist travellers risks Japan falling behind economically.
Prior to the pandemic, Japan had visa waiver agreements with nearly 70 countries, including all European Union countries, the United States, and many Asian neighbours.
Complete article available on Reuters.com