Baby Steps: Japan’s Plan To Let Foreigners In

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Japan is one of the current winners in the worldwide “beating COVID-19” event. Although they reportedly did a lot of things that some would consider wrong (poor social distancing, karaoke bars stayed open for a long while, trains still packed to the gills), they did one thing right – their citizens wore masks. And their number of people who have the virus show it.

Right or wrong, Japan’s numbers are low enough where they’re willing to start opening their doors a little. But just a tiny bit.

Japan currently has an entry ban in place for 111 countries. But the government says they’re planning to soon allow 250 foreign travelers to enter each day from Australia, New Zealand, Thailand and Vietnam. Those four countries were chosen because they have their respective outbreaks under control, and because of their strong economic ties with Japan.

According to the Japan Times, the easing of travel restrictions is expected to be mutual. Discussions are currently being held with the four countries to determine how to carry this all out without risking the spread of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus.

The quota should begin this summer and will initially apply to businesspeople. Executives and engineers will be given priority, and students and then tourists will follow at later dates.

Those who fall under the quote will have to:

• take a polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, test before flying to Japan and show negative results
• take another test when they land in Japan
• submit an itinerary of where they’re staying and where they plan to visit while in Japan
• refrain from using public transportation

Visitors may also be asked to keep GPS data on their phone on, to make it easier for possible contact tracing if needed.

Wow, that’s a whole lot of requirements. But….baby steps, right?

There’s currently no date or time frame of when the program would be expanded. But let’s keep our fingers crossed that this first wave is successful for all involved.

#stayhealthy #staysafe #washyourhands

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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary