Japan to End COVID Controls for All Arrivals from Saturday

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:07 JST, April 27, 2023

To lessen congestion at airports during the Golden Week holidays that start Saturday, the government is lifting the border control measure related to COVID-19 earlier than planned.

As soon as it becomes Saturday, all international arrivals will no longer have to show proof of having had three shots of the COVID-19 vaccine or a negative test result taken within 72 hours of their departure for Japan.

The government initially planned to end this on May 7, the end of Golden Week and a day before it plans to lower COVID-19’s classification under the infectious disease law to Category V, on par with seasonal influenza.