S. Koreans also allowed to join quarantine-free group tours to Japan from June 10

[Photo by Yonhap]

Japan is accepting group tours from 98 countries including South Korea starting June 10, easing travel restrictions for the first time in more than two years.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced on Thursday that Japan will allow tourists to enter the country for the first time since pandemic-related border control in April 2020. To prevent the spread of Covid-19, however, the country will allow only tourists on guided package tours for the time being.

Group visa entrants simply have to take a pre-departure PCR test and will be exempted from further tests or quarantine measures in Japan.

Countries and regions are divided into three categories – red, yellow, and blue – based on Covid-19 infection rates and risks.

Travelers from countries on the blue list - countries that are assessed to have the least risk – are not required to quarantine or be tested regardless of whether they have received a third dose of the Covid vaccine, or the booster shot.

Tourists will also be able to freely use public transportation.

The Japanese government will also double the cap on daily arrivals from 10,000 to 20,000 people, including tourists.

The government is planning to resume international flights at Hokkaido's New Chitose Airport and Okinawa's Naha Airport sometime next month. As of now, international flights are operating at only five airports in Japan including the Haneda Airport and the Narita Airport.

South Korea and Japan are also currently discussing resuming the Gimpo-Haneda route in early June. Once flights resume, 16 planes are expected to operate on the route eight times a week.

The Gimpo-Haneda flight route was used by 2.05 million people annually before the pandemic and is the fastest route between the two countries’ capital cities.

“We have decided to resume flights for four airlines including Korean Air, Asiana Airlines, Japan Airlines, and All Nippon Airways,” said Yoon Hyeong-jung, president and CEO of Korea Airports Corporation (KAC) on Tuesday. KAC is also currently discussing entry procedures with the Japanese government and flights are likely to be resumed around June 8, he added.

The move to allow group tours comes after Japan started a trial reopening this month by allowing small group tours of the country.

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