Independent tourists can begin traveling to Japan on Oct. 11<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
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FRIDAY, Sept. 23, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Japan announced plans Thursday to relax tight COVID-19 travel restrictions, making it easier for tourists to return to the country.<\/p>\n
Independent tourists can begin traveling to Japan<\/a> on Oct. 11. Some tour groups had already been allowed. The country will also end a cap on tourist numbers, as well as pandemic-era visa requirements, according to the Associated Press<\/em>.<\/p>\n “We hope that many citizens will take advantage,” said Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who made the announcement at a news conference at New York’s Central Park.<\/p>\n The AP<\/em> reported that Kishida also announced a campaign to offer discounts and shore up the tourism industry, which suffered losses from the pandemic and the country’s tough COVID-19 restrictions.<\/p>\n Japan’s travel rules continued well after other countries<\/a> dropped their restrictions. That led some tourists to scrap their plans and visit other Asian countries, such as Thailand and South Korea.<\/p>\n Foreign visitors were allowed back in Japan in June after a two-year gap, but the easing of a group tour rule turned out to be confusing and convoluted, the AP<\/em> reported. Rules included a requirement for clearance by a Japanese travel agent, an expensive process.<\/p>\n