Japan has lifted most of its coronavirus border controls, including a requirement that entrants show proof of three vaccinations or a pre-departure negative test.
All entrants with symptoms will still be required to take COVID-19 tests after arriving until May 8, and those who test positive will be placed in designated quarantine facilities, however, after May 9, testing of those with symptoms will be voluntary.

Japan will also drop a special measure subjecting visitors from mainland China to random testing upon arrival that was implemented in late December when infections surged there, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said.

The government had originally planned to implement the changes on May 8, when it will downgrade the official status of the coronavirus to a common infectious disease like seasonal influenza, but decided to speed them up for the start of the holiday season, which began Saturday.

Japan’s government dropped its requests for mask wearing in March, leaving it up to each person’s discretion. Most Japanese continue to wear them, although they are only recommended now in crowded trains, hospitals and other public spaces, and near elderly and other vulnerable people.

COVID-19 is currently categorized as a Class 2 disease along with SARS and tuberculosis, which allows restrictions on the movements of patients and their close contacts and the issuing of emergency measures by the government. Downgrading it to Class 5 will scrap those rules.

CHINA

Similarly, as of Saturday, travellers entering China no longer need to provide a negative PCR test result starting Saturday, in another easing of China’s “zero COVID” policies.

Travellers can instead show a negative antigen test result taken within 48 hours before boarding.

“To further facilitate cross-border travel, China is taking new steps to refine pre-departure testing requirements guided by the principle of ensuring safe and orderly travel and keeping the measures science based and well targeted,” , Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said. She added that airlines will no longer be required to check test results before departure.