Japan’s government is planning to waive tourist visa requirements from some countries as part of a further easing of border controls enacted to stop the spread of COVID-19, Japan-based Fuji News Network reported on Monday.
According to Fuji News Network, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida may decide as early as this week on the easing, which would also allow individual travellers to visit Japan without travel agency bookings. Before the pandemic struck, Japan did ask for tourist visas for 68 countries and regions.
The government may scrap a daily cap on arrivals by October, the Nikkei newspaper reported on Sunday.
Deputy chief cabinet secretary Seiji Kihara said on TV on Sunday that “a weak yen is most effective in attracting inbound tourism,” adding that further steps must be taken to draw in foreign visitors.
Last week, Japan raised the ceiling for inbound tourists from 20,000 to 50,000. The country also eliminated the need for pre-departure covid tests as the nation eased what have been among the most restrictive border measures among major economies.
