Last update: August 17th, 2021.
Japan started issuing a vaccine passport in July, similar to the EU Digital COVID Certificate.
The island nation is one of the latest countries to embrace the COVID pass certificate initiative, with the aim of restoring international travel and tourism.
The Japan vaccine passport is still in the beginning phases. Japanese officials are assessing the need for further expansion, depending on the current epidemiological situation.
How does the COVID certificate work in Japan?
The Japanese vaccine passport is starting off as a paper certificate, unlike the high-tech digital versions issued by most other countries.
The certificate will contain the following information:
- Holder’s name
- Date of birth
- Passport number
- Type of vaccine (name, serial number)
- Date of vaccinations
- The municipality of issuance
- Date issued
Japan’s COVID Passport is not currently used for domestic purposes. It can be used to forego quarantine in a select few destinations where Japan has set up travel agreements.
The government has asked only traveling persons who live in Japan, and have been vaccinated in Japan, to apply.
Applications can be done at local municipal or ward offices and should take less than a day to issue.
The latest news on the Japanese COVID pass rollout comes from the Chief Cabinet Secretary, Katsunobu Kato, who explained that the digitization and expansion of the COVID pass are still under review.
“We have not reached a situation where we can say anything concretely at this point. We will keep an eye on the domestic and international discussions and the response situation in each region, and we will diligently review it while striving to gather knowledge” said Katsunobu.
Where can I travel with the Japanese COVID Certificate?
Japan has formed travel agreements with seventeen countries as of mid-August. Japanese travelers can enter these countries without quarantine, including Austria, Bulgaria, Italy, Poland, Estonia, and South Korea.
The government is working on expanding the list, but passengers are still advised to double-check their eligibility before booking a trip.
Is there a mandatory quarantine to travel to Japan?
Japan continues its strict border regulations and quarantine is mandatory for those returning to the country.
Firstly, passengers must provide a negative PCR test taken less than 72 hours before arrival.
Secondly, travelers arriving in Japan need to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine. This may be done at a government facility, depending on the departure point of the passenger.
The last requirement is that passengers need to do health monitoring for 2 weeks after arrival, using the official government app.
COVID Health Situation in Japan
Japan has passed the 950,000 infections mark. The opening of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics has coincided with the 4th wave of infections in the country.
Over 15,000 people have died and by the start of August, Japan was recording more than 10,000 new cases per day.
Japan has ramped up its vaccination rate since May and by August they have administered more than 90,000,000 doses and fully vaccinated around 30% of the population.