Hello. This is Ito of IMS Legal Professional Corporation. The number of people infected with COVID-19 appears to be on a downward trend compared to the previous week, and data suggests that the spread of the infection seems to be under control. However, although some prefectures have lifted their semi-emergency COVID-19 measures, the number of infected people is still on the rise. As well, the emergency declaration and semi-emergency measures to prevent the spread of the virus have been extended until the end of September. This also includes some regions that have shifted from the emergency declaration to the semi-emergency measures. In fact, not only is the Delta variant -- which is highly contagious and tends to cause worse symptoms -- rapidly spreading, but cases of the Lambda and Mu variants have also been identified in Japan. It strongly appears that the end of pandemic is still far off.
Easing of Entry Restrictions
Even under these circumstances, however, the need to keep the economy vitalized has prompted the government to begin considering easing entry restrictions into Japan for those with a vaccination certificate. For those applicable, the quarantine period will be shortened from 14 days to 10 days, However, only those vaccinated with the (1) Pfizer, (2) Moderna, or (3) AstraZeneca will be allowed to enter. In addition, only certificates issued in Japan, the US, and the EU will be accepted. Furthermore, the resumption of the Business Track is also being considered. Since this will mean that once one enters Japan under the Business Track, they will be able to travel to a designated area without undergoing quarantine, it can be presumed that a vaccination certificate and certificate of negative COVID-19 test result will be required.
Further Complications
At the same time, re-entry from India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and the Maldives into is still not allowed even for those who have status of residence, and the EU has removed Japan from its list of safe countries (although those that have been vaccinated with an EU-approved vaccine are allowed to enter under certain conditions). The reason for these decisions despite the number of infected people decreasing from the infection peak may be related to the Olympic and Paralympic Games. As temperatures drop and contagious diseases begin becoming more prevalent, more changes in current entry measures are foreseeable.
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