After a long and hard period of restrictions due to the pandemic, individual travelers will finally be able to enter Japan more easily. 68 countries and regions will resume visa free travel to Japan on October 11, 2022. Those countries and territories, including the United States, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and others, will be allowed to travel freely and stay in Japan with visa-free for a short period of time.Read More
In addition, as a general rule, there are no test of COVID19 for all visitors to enter Japan, nor quarantined in accommodations after entering the country.
*All visitors from overseas will be still required to submit either a certificate of 3 times vaccination with vaccines listed on the WHO emergency use list or a negative certificate of a test taken within 72 hours prior to departure to Japan.
For the past two years, there were almost no foreign tourists in Hokkaido, and Sapporo city center was a very lonely scene. Many restaurants and other businesses were closed. The easing of immigration restrictions is great news not only for tourists, but also for all people in Hokkaido!
As of October 1, 2022, the only direct international flights to New Chitose Airport were to Taipei by China Airlines. However, direct flights to Singapore by scoot will be resumed from November 2022.
When I visited the airport last year, there were no people in the international terminal. It was an sad sight… . I sincerely hope that it will be filled with many people and become lively again!
