Before the pandemic, Japan was Taiwan’s top travel destination. In 2019 alone, Taiwanese people traveled the Land of the Rising Sun almost 5 million times. COVID-19 shut visitors out of the country, but now, after a two-year ban on tourists, Japan is opening up its borders.
Japan is one of the most popular tourist destinations for people in Taiwan, and after more than two years of closed borders, many are eager to visit again.
Starting June 1, Japan will open its borders to non-tourist travel, but will limit entries to 20,000 people daily. Travelers from countries in the ‘blue’ category, which means low risk and includes Taiwan, don’t need to apply for visas, take tests on arrival, nor undergo quarantine.
Following that, tourist groups will be able to enter Japan starting on June 10, also with a limit of 20,000 people per day. They will follow similar guidelines as non-tourist travelers, but will have to apply for visas.
Japan is opening its borders to visitors, but travelers shouldn’t forget that many restrictions are still in place in Taiwan.
Tang Wen-chi from Taiwan’s Tourism Bureau says that right now, tour groups can neither leave nor enter Taiwan. The bureau has drafted new guidelines for group travel and will pass them on to the Central Epidemic Command Center.
The ban on tourist groups leaving Taiwan has been in place since March 2020. Violators can be fined up to NT$50,000 (US$1,700).
Japan’s decision to put Taiwan in the low risk category, while the country is seeing a surge in infections, has raised some eyebrows.
Dr. Lin Shih-pi, formerly from National Taiwan University Hospital, says that some countries classified as low risk in Japan, like South Africa and the US, are seeing new variants of COVID-19 emerge and spread. Yet the Japanese authorities don’t seem concerned.
The Tourism Bureau says it’s discussing possible new rules with businesses, but any change in policy will happen in the latter part of this year at the earliest.
Tomasz Koper, RTI News