Japan may reopen to foreign tourists next month (June), and the government will make a final decision on lifting the tourist visa ban within two weeks.
Japan has national holidays on April 29 and May 3-5, and many companies are furloughing their employees this weekend. Usually, this period is a golden tourist week when much Japanese travel domestically and return to their hometowns.
Officials are considering opening up group tours, to begin with, as this is easier to manage for travel agencies and other tourists. A final decision will be announced at the end of May.
The cap on the number of people open to entry will also be revised, possibly temporarily increasing the daily entry quota from the current 10,000 to 20,000. The government is also considering accepting tourists from the U.S., Europe and Asia under certain conditions, as well as limiting numbers. Officials will consider ways to balance measures to revive the economy.
The current policy to limit infections outside Japan has been gradually eased in stages, and foreigners have been allowed to enter for business and other restricted purposes since March, under the supervision of relevant companies or organisations.