During the first phase of reopening, travellers from 98 countries, including the UK, will be allowed entry on the condition they are on a fully guided package tour.

Visitors will still need to obtain a tourist visa, after receiving an ERFS confirmation from a Japan-based tour operator, and wear a mask.
 
The daily entry cap has been doubled to 20,000, and all visitors must test negative for Covid-19 within 72 hours prior to departure. However, visitors from certain "blue list" countries – including the UK – will be able to skip the additional test upon arrival as well as the previous three-day quarantine, regardless of vaccination status.

Japan has also expanded the number of airports accepting international flights to seven, adding Naha in Okinawa and New Chitose in Sapporo, Hokkaido.

Seino Satoshi, president of the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO), said: "Despite the pandemic, we have worked with people in inbound tourism to prepare for its recovery. We will welcome the return of international tourists to Japan as the first step in the recovery of inbound tourism."

Wendy Wu Tours and InsideJapan will restart their touring programmes to the country next month after nearly two-and-a-half years.