---
title: Japan set to announce restart of visa-free tourist travel
date: 2022-09-15T19:30:00+09:00
author: Chris Pickering
canonical_url: "https://uchijapan.com/news/japan-set-to-announce-restart-of-visa-free-travel"
section: News
---
[Japan](https://uchijapan.com/news/japan)# Japan set to announce restart of visa-free tourist travel

Sep 15, 2022

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   ![Snowboard walking unsplash](https://d1g90p0r985xbs.cloudfront.net/general/_480x270_crop_center-center_60_line/snowboard-walking-unsplash.jpg)## Announcement due to be made shortly on the next steps towards full re-opening

It really has been a crazy few weeks for tourism and Japan, but there has been more and more press about the soon-to-be-announced relaxations so we do feel more confidence that it will really happen (this time!).

As a reminder, the main items that are expected to change are:

- Entry caps (currently 50,000 people a day) will be abolished entirely
- Restrictions on independent travel will be lifted (currently you need to be on a tour or have your itinerary arranged by a Japanese travel agent who is ultimately responsible for you)
- Visas will no longer be required for certain countries (currently ALL visitors require a visa)

It is expected that tourists will be required to be fully vaccinated and, of course, to follow all guidelines on etiquette regarding Covid19. Remember that Japan does still require a 7 day isolation if you test positive.

**PLEASE NOTE that none of this is confirmed yet.** The latest news on Nikkei ([click here](https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus/Japan-set-to-announce-restart-of-visa-free-tourist-travel)) also suggest that the relaxations are dependent upon the Covid situation both in Japan and overseas. There is also a hint that visa-free travel might not extend to tourists from all countries who enjoyed it pre-pandemic. So we still suggest holding fire on committing to a holiday until the next announcement.

Coupled with the fact the USD now buys over 144 yen, it is an amazing time to visit and an even better time to [invest in Japanese property](https://uchijapan.com/properties)!