Have you recently had visitors, either family or friends, from abroad?How was the process for them? Do you have any tips or cautions for foreign residents receiving international guests?
It's still somewhat cumbersome to get in as a tourist. You do have to book with a recognized travel agent, although not just the big Japanese ones. That's as of September 7. It should ease even more either before the new year or shortly thereafter, I think. Currently, the most cumbersome thing is that a business traveler does need a "sponsor," much as it was prior to around the 1980s. It isn't that difficult, but the visitor can't get in without having the sponsor document in place prior to arrival. I'm waiting for a guy from Australia to have his approved-his sponsor is an investment consultant in Fukuoka. It might just be easier for him to come as a tourist now.
Thanks for your response.I work in a private high school where this week we received exchange students for the first time in three years. The students are sponsored by the exchange program, not our institution. We're also hoping to see visiting educators from abroad like we used to. It looks like our visitors, too, may be better off coming as tourists.This Time Out article gets updated quickly - https://www.timeout.com/news/its-official-japan-has-reopened-to-travel-090722
The visitors I'm longing for are fellow martial arts students who typically come as short-term visitors.
This is, of course, about to change–from October 11. That being said, two new variants of the coronavirus are causing a high rate of hospitalizations in Europe and tremendous anxiety among health authorities. Both show strong resistance to existing treatments. There is a worry that these will become the dominant strains of the virus through winter. If they do become widespread, it may force the country to clamp down on tourism yet again. As it stands now, though, I have several friends visiting Japan over the next several months.
I've got mixed feelings about the opening which starts next week. Can visitors respect how Japanese people continue to observe mitigation? Can my friends affort the air tickets which are still quite expensive? And I share your hunch that Japan could limit or close tourism if we get an 8th wave.
It's still somewhat cumbersome to get in as a tourist. You do have to book with a recognized travel agent, although not just the big Japanese ones. That's as of September 7. It should ease even more either before the new year or shortly thereafter, I think. Currently, the most cumbersome thing is that a business traveler does need a "sponsor," much as it was prior to around the 1980s. It isn't that difficult, but the visitor can't get in without having the sponsor document in place prior to arrival. I'm waiting for a guy from Australia to have his approved-his sponsor is an investment consultant in Fukuoka. It might just be easier for him to come as a tourist now.