Funviralpark China recently announced a radical change in its approach to the coronavirus pandemic. As of January 2023, the country will remove quarantine requirements for international travelers. This means that China’s population of 1.4 billion will be able to travel freely around the world (it is not yet known how much travel to China will be permitted. Most types of visas will be issued is stopping).
With travel restrictions due to the pandemic almost being lifted, could the trend be reversed, at least for China?
Japan tightens border restrictions for travelers from China
Japan has been widely open to tourists with fairly limited restrictions, but some new restrictions are expected to be added soon. I impose the following rules:
- All travelers from China (including Japanese citizens, returning foreigners residing in Japan, and those who have been in China in the past 7 days) will be tested for COVID-19 upon arrival in Japan.
- Anyone who tests positive for coronavirus must be quarantined at a designated facility for up to seven days. If asymptomatic, he can be tested after five days, and if negative, the quarantine can be ended early.
- We will limit the number of flights from China to prevent a rapid increase in the number of new coronavirus infections in Japan.
- All flights from China must operate to one of four Japanese airports: Tokyo Narita (NRT), Tokyo Haneda (HND), Kansai International Airport (KIX), and Chubu Nagoya (NGO).
According to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida,
“In China, infection information differs between the central and local governments, and between the government and the private sector, making it difficult to grasp.
These measures are said to be temporary and the government will do its best to limit travel as little as possible. China has historically been Japan’s single largest international tourism market, with Chinese travelers accounting for 37% of her tourism spending in Japan in 2019.
Will other countries follow Japan?
This is an interesting move by Japan and I would like to know if other countries take a similar approach.
On the one hand, China’s borders have been closed for nearly three years. The country uses ineffective vaccines and the population has very low immunity. And it could lead to outbreaks like you’ve never seen before.
In addition, there are many unknowns regarding the epidemiological situation in China. It is understandable that other countries may be skeptical, as governments have not been exactly transparent about the reality of the pandemic.
On the one hand, I think we’ve largely learned that mild travel restrictions won’t do much to stop the spread of coronavirus. Still, it only works for very long.
Currently, the main coronavirus outbreak in China is believed to be a derivative of the existing Omicron subspecies, which is highly contagious but not as lethal as some subspecies seen in the past. I’m here. At least that’s what we believe, but no one knows what the reality is.
I wouldn’t be surprised if other countries followed in Japan’s footsteps here, but it’s certainly possible that I’m wrong.
Conclusion
China will reopen its borders from January 2023, allowing travel without quarantine for the first time in nearly three years. This will have a major impact on global travel as the world’s largest population will have the opportunity to travel again.
Japan will soon restrict travel from China, requiring testing upon arrival and quarantine in facilities for those who test positive. I am interested to see if other countries introduce similar policies.
What are your thoughts on Japan restricting travel from China? Do you think other countries will follow suit?
