Japan is considering ending its pre-arrival COVID-19 testing for inbound travellers who are already vaccinated, Nikkei reported late on Monday.
The current rule requires travellers to show a negative test result within 72 hours of their departure, the report said.
As some countries curtail their testing capabilities, obtaining the necessary documents has become more difficult.
A decision will be made soon, taking the country’s case count into consideration. The easing is likely to take effect within a few weeks.
Japan’s coronavirus-related entry rules are the toughest in the Group of Seven advanced economies. The testing requirement has been an obstacle for Japanese business and leisure travelers, as well as for efforts to draw visitors back to the country.
Accepted tests include the relatively costly PCR, but not rapid antigen tests.
The government also will consider raising the daily cap on people arriving in Japan from the current 20,000.
In another change to its approach to COVID-19, Japan is moving toward ending the policy of having doctors report all new cases of the disease nationwide. Critics say the administrative burden is taking away resources from providing health care.
“I would like to be able to present additional steps for easing the burden on clinics and medical centers in the next few days,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told an online news conference Monday.
Kishida himself recently tested positive for COVID-19. (Reuters/Nikkei)
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