- Title: Foreign visitors arrive as Japan reopens for visa-free travel
- Date: 11th October 2022
- Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (OCTOBER 11, 2022) (REUTERS) SIGN ON AIRPORT TERMINAL READING (English) "TOKYO" SIGN ON AIRPORT TERMINAL READING (English) "TOKYO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT" PLANE LANDING AT TOKYO HANEDA AIRPORT PLANES TAXIING ON TARMAC AIRPORT WORKERS CHECKING PLANE’S LANDING GEAR PEOPLE STANDING IN FRONT OF FLIGHT INFORMATION SCREEN VARIOUS OF FLIGHT INFORMATION SCREEN PASSENGERS ARRIVING, PUSHING LUGGAGE PASSENGERS PUSHING LUGGAGE TROLLEYS, WALKING OUT OF ARRIVALS EXIT PEOPLE HOLDING UP SIGNS AT AIRPORT ARRIVALS HALL (SOUNDBITE) (English) HEALTHCARE WORKER, JENNY KAY, SAYING: "We planned the trip, we wanted to go on the trip, we wanted to come to Japan and go on a beautiful tour that we're going on, it's a walking tour. So we booked it and then I guess we kind of discovered the process. So, there was a few stressful moments when we realised we needed to get a visa and I guess some of the things that were required. It hasn't stopped us, and then the irony is that the first day that we arrived, we didn't need any of that." PEOPLE STANDING IN FRONT OF FLIGHT INFORMATION SCREEN FLIGHT INFORMATION SCREEN GROUP OF FOREIGN VISITORS STANDING AROUND, WAITING AT AIRPORT (SOUNDBITE) (English) COMPANY CEO AND FOUNDER, MATTHEW BORTHWICK, SAYING: "We've been very fortunate to be on one of the first flights in, I think, after the visa regulations changed. So, just really excited. I think it's major, majorly around going to see a new culture and going to see some people who I've spent a huge amount of time with over Zoom and getting rid of that screen and getting to see people face-to-face is going to be fantastic. So, really looking forward to that." PEOPLE HOLDING UP SIGNS AT ARRIVALS HALL PEOPLE WAITING, HOLDING UP SIGNS AT THE AIRPORT ARRIVALS HALL, PASSENGER ARRIVING (SOUNDBITE) (English) TECH CONSULTANCY FIRM CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER, LIAM ELDON, SAYING: "Everyone, everyone has been saying 'When's Japan open next?' and we've been waiting a long time to come. We have business here, not that we're doing business here, but we have business here, we've been trying to get a visa for a long time, and we've literally just been waiting ever since there was discussions of it opening up in October. We were waiting as soon as the announcement came, we booked a flight, and we left Australia last night and arrived here first thing in the morning, so it's been really smooth and really fantastic." VARIOUS OF PASSENGERS PUSHING LUGGAGE, WALKING OUT OF ARRIVALS EXIT (SOUNDBITE) (English) FINANCIAL ANALYST, RITA HALL, SAYING: "It was a pure accident. We'd actually planned our trip prior to the visas not being required, so we actually do have visas, and found out after the fact. So, but that's fine, but we were still going to come anyway." GROUP OF FOREIGN ARRIVALS STANDING AROUND, WAITING AT AIRPORT MAN WAITING, HOLDING UP SIGN FOREIGN VISITOR VICENTE KOESTER WALKING, PUSHING LUGGAGE KOESTER STANDING WITH HIS LUGGAGE STICKER ON LUGGAGE READING (English / Japanese): "TOKYO" (SOUNDBITE) (English) FINANCIAL ADVISOR, VICENTE KOESTER, SAYING: "My flight was full. I was not expecting that. There was not even a place empty in my flight, I was shocked. So other people are maybe doing, going to another country as well, but the flight was full. So I think people are starting to return as soon as possible, and I think it's going to be very good for the economy, you know. They need the tourists."
- Embargoed: 25th October 2022 05:22
- Keywords: COVID-19 Germany Japan Munich Tokyo airport border restrictions reopening tourism tourists travel
- Location: TOKYO, JAPAN / MUNICH, GERMANY
- City: TOKYO, JAPAN / MUNICH, GERMANY
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Asia / Pacific,Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA001134511102022RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Japan opened its doors to tourists on Tuesday (October 11) after closing them for two-and-a-half years due to travel restrictions sparked by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Visa-free travel was reinstated for visitors from dozens of countries, bringing an end to some of the world's strictest border controls.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is hoping the move will invigorate the economy and reap some benefits from the yen's slide to a 24-year low.
Among the travellers arriving on the 6 a.m. (0900 GMT) flight from Sydney were tech company executives Liam Eldon and Matthew Borthwick, who booked their flights after Kishida announced that border measures would be relaxed on September 29.
"Everyone has been saying 'When's Japan open next?' and we've been waiting a long time to come," Eldon told Reuters on Tuesday.
"We've been very fortunate to be on one of the first flights in, I think, after the visa regulations changed," Borthwick said. "Getting to see people face-to-face is going to be fantastic. So, really looking forward to that," he added.
Last week, Kishida said the government would aim to attract 5 trillion yen ($34.5 billion) in annual tourist spending. But that goal may be too ambitious for a sector that has atrophied during the pandemic.
Hotel employment slumped 22 percent between 2019 and 2021, according to government data.
COVID restrictions in Japan also remain tighter than those in other countries.
People are strongly encouraged to wear masks indoors and refrain from loud talking.
The Cabinet on Friday (October 7) approved changing hotel regulations so that they can refuse guests who do not obey infection controls during an outbreak.
But Japan's decision to fully reopen appears to have stimulated some long pent-up demand.
"My flight was full. I was not expecting that," Brazil-born financial advisor, Vicente Koester, said after stepping off his flight from Munich. "I think people are starting to return as soon as possible, and I think it's going to be very good for the economy, you know. They need the tourists," he added.
Flag carrier Japan Airlines has seen inbound bookings triple since the border easing announcement, president Yuji Akasaka said earlier this month, according to the Nikkei newspaper.
Even so, international travel demand won't fully recover until around 2025, he added.
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