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Japan will be easing border controls in June 2022, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Thursday, May 5 in a speech to the City of London.
He added that Japan will take a similar approach to other G7 countries, namely Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Easing measures
Japan has been closed to foreign tourists since early 2020, following the onset of the pandemic.
In November 2021, it also suspended all foreign visitors from entering the country after an easing of measures, due to the rise in the Omicron Covid-19 variant.
Kishida said he believed this was an "essential public-health step to delay the variant's entry into the country".
He said: "This allowed us to fortify our healthcare system and promote vaccinations".
"I hope it is not too boastful to say that Japan's response to Covid-19 has been one of the most successful in the world."
But with the border easing in June, Japan will introduce a smoother entry process similar to that of other G7 members, Kishida announced.
According to Kyodo News, the easing will happen in stages.
However, no exact details have been released just yet.
The country now allows up to 10,000 people a day to enter Japan.
However, only visitors on business, as well as technical interns and students are allowed in.
For now, foreign tourists are still not allowed in.
Connecting with the rest of the world
Kishida added: "So let me be clear: Japan is and will continue to be a trading and investment powerhouse open to the world. Japan will grow by being connected to the rest of the world through the free movement of people, goods, money and digital technologies across borders."
Kishida is confident in Japan's growth and said: "You can invest in Japan with confidence. Invest in Kishida."
With the challenges that Japan has faced over the past two years, he added that Japan's economy has been stable: "Because we live in an era of geopolitical uncertainty with supply chain disruptions and drastic shifts in energy and other resources, I see this as an advantage for Japan."
But when Japan connects with the rest of the world, he said he believes "this is imperative for the prosperity of Japan too".
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