Travel To Japan Update – Part 2

In our last post, we reported that Japan was slowly reopening with a move towards "unguided tours" where visitors could travel outside of a set tour, but were required to book their "tour" with a travel agency that would take care of all visas, certifications and the like. Reports indicate that the requirement to book through the travel agency resulted in a tripling of costs.

Apparently, in two weeks since implementation, there has been a backlash from business leaders, notably the head of JR East, and certain politicians, asserting that this slow reopening is harming tourism and as a result, the economy, noting that with the weakness in the Yen, Japan could be an attractive tourist destination if not for the restrictions.