Japan to require negative test for arrivals from China

The Yomiuri Shimbun

18:13 JST, January 5, 2023

All passengers entering Japan on direct flights from China will be required to submit a certificate showing a negative test result for the novel coronavirus obtained within 72 hours before departure from the mainland.

With the virus spreading widely and rapidly in China, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced at a press conference Wednesday that the tighter border control measures would take effect from Sunday.

Since Dec. 30, the Japanese government has been testing people entering Japan who were in China within the past seven days.

As with entries from all other countries and regions, travelers from China who possess a vaccination certificate do not currently need to show a negative test certificate to enter Japan.

However, Japan has decided to keep step with the growing trend in the United States, Europe and other countries to require negative certificates for entry from China. A negative test certificate will not be required for people arriving from China via a third country.

Japan also will strengthen virus testing on arrival for people who have stayed in China.

Highly accurate PCR and other tests will be used instead of simple antigen qualitative tests, including on people who enter Japan via third countries.

Direct flights from Hong Kong and Macao — for which some restrictions had recently been considered — will be allowed at all airports even if they carry people who have been in other parts of China within seven days prior to entry.