From November 1, Japan lifted the entry ban on Vietnam and 7 other countries that have controlled the Covid-19 epidemic. The decision was made at a meeting of the Covid-19 response task force chaired by new Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, after the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs lowered travel advice for a number of countries and territories from level 3 to level 2 (on a 4-level scale) early on October 30.
Countries/territories whose entry bans have been lifted include: Vietnam, Australia, Brunei, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, China, South Korea, and Taiwan. Japanese officials said all of these countries/territories have generally controlled the Covid-19 epidemic.
Japan is gradually easing anti-Covid-19 border restrictions as part of efforts to revive the economy.
Prime Minister Suga said Japan will also ease the 14-day quarantine requirement for Japanese nationals or permanent residents returning to Japan from November 1, a move aimed at facilitating business trips.
This is the first time Japan has lifted its entry ban on countries/territories since it began adding many places in China, including Wuhan city - where the Covid-19 outbreak originated, to the ban list in early February 2020.
However, Japan will continue to suspend visa-waiver agreements with other countries and restrict the issuance of new visas, bringing the total number of countries/territories whose citizens are banned from entering to 152. This means that in most cases, visitors will still be unable to enter Japan.
Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi also said on October 30 that Vietnam and Japan have also agreed to restart business trips between the two countries' people from November 1. Thus, Vietnam becomes the third country where Japan resumes such short-term business trips, after Japan cooperates with Singapore and South Korea.
