Malaysians No Longer Need A Visa Or Tour Package To Travel To Japan Starting 11 Oct
Yay, finally.
Beginning 11 October, Japan will be removing all of its COVID-19 travel restrictions, including needing tour packages for independent travellers
Prior to this, Malaysians who wanted to visit Japan would still need to book a package tour from a travel agency, as well as get a travel visa to enter the country.
However, from next month onwards, Malaysians can visit without needing a visa or tour package, and the country's daily entry cap will be lifted
According to The Japan Times, on 22 September, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said that this marks a major policy shift after nearly two and a half years of strict COVID-19 restrictions.
Image via Jezael Melgoza/Unsplash
Japan has been taking cautious steps to reopen its borders
Previously, the country announced that PCR tests on arrival and quarantines were no longer a requirement starting 1 June. In addition, travellers were only allowed to enter through tour groups.
From 7 September onwards, Japan allowed non-guided tours instead. However, Malaysians were still required to book a package tour from a verified travel agency in Malaysia.
The daily cap has also been gradually increasing from 5,000 in March to 50,000 visitors currently.
Image via Danis Lou/Unsplash
If you're planning to visit Japan, take note that you are required to have received all three vaccination doses, or submit a negative COVID-19 test result ahead of your trip
These are the vaccines that are recognised in Japan:
First two doses – Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Janssen, Bharat Biotech, Novavax
Booster shot – Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Janssen, Novavax
This means that Malaysians with the Sinovac vaccine are not considered "fully vaccinated". However, you can still enter Japan for travel by presenting a negative PCR test taken 72 hours prior to arrival.
The long-awaited Studio Ghibli theme park in Japan will open on 1 November:
How many of these do you miss from Japan?
Not ready to fight with the crowds just yet? Check out more cool holiday destinations you can visit instead:
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