According to media reports, Japan wants to gradually open its borders to foreign tourists again after more than two years of isolation.

The government is considering allowing the first small travel groups into the country for test purposes this month, as the ORF reports today, citing Japanese media. However, it is uncertain when Japan will also open up to individual tourism. The number of coronavirus cases in intensive care units has fallen. But first the government wants to examine the effects of the “Golden Week”, a series of public holidays, which has just ended on the infection process. For the first time in two years, millions of Japanese were on the move again during this time.

Japan, which imposed the toughest entry restrictions of the seven major democratic economies (G-7) due to the CoV pandemic, is under pressure to end its lockdown policy. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced extensive easing of border controls during a visit to London last week. From June, the upper limit for entries is to be doubled to 20.000 per day, as reported by the Kyodo news agency. Before the outbreak of the pandemic, there were around 140.000 a day.