Japan Ease Entry Restrictions for Thailand and 105 Other Countries
Japan will ease border restrictions related to Covid-19 on April 8 (Japan Time) by lifting its entry ban for foreign nationals from 106 countries, including Thailand, U.S., Britain, Canada, France, and other western countries.
Despite loosened border regimes, Japan’s capital Tokyo has not fully reopened to foreign tourists in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Japan’s foreign ministry said that foreigners from the 106 countries would not be subject to denial of permission to enter Japan from Friday. However, foreigners with tourist purposes were still not allowed into the country according to Asia One.
In the early days of the pandemic, Japan closed its borders to most foreign travelers. It has only recently allowed a trickle of tourists and business people into the country. This is in contrast to the reopening of many other developed countries.
Another government statement said that Japan would still close its doors to 56 countries after the planned lifting.
Japan’s government announced it will raise the daily quota for overseas visitors to 10,000 this month, up from 7,000.
Japan opens doors to Ukraine
Last month, Japan news announced it will allow Ukrainian refugees displaced by Russia’s invasion to work after they are accepted into the country, the justice minister said.
Upon entering Japan, refugees who are granted short-term residency for 90 days, will be allowed to extend their visas to “designated activities” for one year.
Justice Minister Yoshihisa Furukawa told Japan News agencies that the change will provide them with residency and the legal right to work.
The visa status will be handled in a flexible manner, taking into account the situation facing the evacuees,” Furukawa said during a press conference at 9 am Japan time.
Sergiy Korsunsky, the Ukrainian ambassador, and others have called on Japan to allow the evacuees to work.
According to Japan News, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, the government is “urgently considering” measures to assist the evacuees, including arranging for accommodations, providing daily necessities, and helping them find jobs and study in Japan.
According to Matsuno, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida ordered Furukawa and other ministers to prepare measures to assist evacuees fleeing Ukraine.
According to Matsuno, the government will cooperate with firms and local governments that have announced they will accept evacuees and study measures based on the requests of people who want to evacuate to Japan.
