nationwide travel discount japan

‘Go To Travel’ explained

Part of a larger "Go To" campaign intended to restart the Japanese economy following the damage caused by the coronavirus , Go To Travel is a campaign by the national government that offers big discounts on travel inside Japan. Only residents of Japan (including foreign residents) are eligible to take advantage of the campaign.

What is Go To Travel?

• A 35 percent discount on the total cost and
• Coupons worth 15 percent of the total cost to be spent on other travel expenses during the trip

Is there an upper limit?

Yes, there is. The maximum discount that can be received for overnight trips is 13,000 yen per person and night, while the maximum amount of coupons that can be received is 7,000 yen per person and night. In other words, the upper limit applies to travel plans that cost more than 40,000 yen per person and night.

In case of daytrips , the travelers can receive a discount of up to 7,000 yen and coupons of up to 3,000 yen per trip.

Note that children are counted the same as adults. For example, a family of four with two kids can receive a discount of up to 52,000 yen (4 x 13,000 yen) and coupons of up to 28,000 yen (4 x 7,000 yen) on an overnight trip, even if the kids stay for free.

Furthermore, note that only up to seven nights per trip are covered by the campaign. On trips that are longer than eight days, travelers will not be able to profit from the campaign from the 8th night. Note that there is no limit on how many trips can be made during the campaign.

Who is eligible?

All residents of Japan, including foreign residents.

Can temporary visitors to Japan use the campaign?

No, only residents of Japan are eligible.

How long does the campaign last?

The campaign started in late July 2020, but was suspended in December 2020 due to rising coronavirus infection numbers. It is expected to resume once the infection numbers have decreased and continue until at least summer 2021.

Are there any other conditions for participating?

Yes, all participating travelers are requested to follow the "new travel etiquette" with regards to preventing the spread of the coronavirus on their trips. Please visit our page about coronavirus manners for more details.

What is covered?

• Overnight stays at registered lodgings
• Travel plans purchased through registered travel agents

A large majority of hotels and travel agents across the country are registered. Lists of registered businesses are available on the campaign's official website .

Are all regions of Japan covered?

All regions of Japan are covered by the campaign. There is a possibility for some areas to be temporarily excluded from the campaign depending on the spread of the virus.

Does the campaign also apply to transportation, activities, meals and shopping?

The discount applies only if they are part of a travel plan. For example, the discount cannot be applied to regular purchases of flights or rental cars ; however, it does apply if a flight or rental car is part of a travel package sold through a registered travel agent. Likewise, if an activity or meal is part of the travel package, the campaign applies.

What type of daytrips are eligible?

The campaign applies only to daytrip travel packages sold by registered travel agents. The packages have to include 1) transport starting and ending at the same place on the same day and 2) at least some form of travel service besides transport in the destination area, e.g. meals or activities. For example, it does not cover 1-day bus tours that do not include any activities at the destination.

There is no limit on how many trips you can make during the campaign period. However, there is a limit of seven nights per trip that can be covered, meaning that those traveling for more than eight days are not able to profit from the campaign from the 8th night.

How can I use it?

There are mainly two ways to profit from the campaign:

• Book a stay at a registered hotel through the hotel, a travel agent or a reservation website that participates in the campaign.
• Purchase a travel package through a registered travel agent.

At the time of your booking, you pay 65% of the total cost for the accommodation or package, while the 15% in coupons will be issued to you by the travel agent or hotel.

A list of registered hotels and travel agents can be found in Japanese on the campaign's official website . Many hotel reservation websites are also participating in the Go To Travel campaign, including Booking.com and Agoda .

How do I use the coupons?

Coupons can be used to make payments at registered stores and restaurants and for transportation and other travel services in the prefecture visited and surrounding prefectures during the day(s) of your trip. They cannot be refunded. A map showing registered businesses can be found on the campaign's official website .

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2022 Domestic Travel Subsidy Program: Discounts for Residents in Japan!

Japan's Domestic Travel Subsidy Program, offering discounts of up to 11,000 yen per person, launched on October 11, 2022. This article gives an overview of the travel discount program, details on participating travel agencies and reservation sites, and prefectural websites! 　

Mitoyo, Kagawa, Japan

What Is Japan's Domestic Travel Subsidy Program?

Himeji Castle. Photo by Pixta The Domestic Travel Subsidy Program , aiming to stimulate Japan's tourism industry, launched in October 2022. Eligible travelers will be entitled to discounts up to a maximum of 11,000 yen each.

Due to the sudden flood of reservations, there is concern among those unable to make their bookings. However, a national budget of 560 billion yen has been allocated for this campaign. So, travelers can expect to benefit from the generous subsidies offered by this program.

This article will introduce Japan's Domestic Travel Subsidy Program with an outline and important things to keep in mind. MATCHA readers will learn details about participating travel agencies and reservation sites. There's also a list featuring each prefecture and its respective website!

Outline of the Domestic Travel Subsidy Program

What are the dates of this program.

The discount campaign runs from October 11 until December 20, 2022. Starting dates can differ slightly depending on the prefecture.

How Much Are the Travel Discounts?

Travelers will receive a 40% discount. The discount is capped at 8,000 yen per person per night for tours that include transportation and accommodation. The discount is capped at 5,000 yen per person per night for accommodations only.

Discount coupons can also be used in certain regions for restaurants and souvenirs. Additionally, there are 3,000 yen discounts for weekday accommodations and 1,000 yen discounts for accommodations on national holidays. These are available directly at the accommodation facility.

Important Points of the Domestic Travel Subsidy Program

The Great Buddha of Kamakura. Photo by Pixta

Here are some key things to keep in mind with this subsidy program.

Limited to Japanese Citizens and International Residents

The program's main criteria for eligibility is that applicants live in Japan. This applies to Japanese citizens and international residents. A driver's license, My Number card, or another form of identification is required to show proof of Japanese residency.

Unfortunately, the discount campaign is not available to international visitors but only to international residents of Japan.

Vaccine Passport (3 Shots) or a Negative PCR Test Required

Travelers who want to receive discounts on this campaign will need to present a vaccination certificate showing they've had three shots. Those who haven't received three vaccinations must provide a negative PCR test.

To receive an accommodation discount, please remember that all group members must present their vaccine passport (3 shots), not just the group representative.

How the Word "Holiday" Is Defined

The monetary amount of discount coupons differs depending on whether it's a weekday or a national holiday. Fundamentally, a "holiday" refers to a one-night, two-day stay on Saturdays and Sundays. In other words, a one-night, two-day stay on Friday-Saturday or Sunday-Monday will be considered a weekday accommodation.

Program Details Differ Depending on the Prefecture

Each prefecture in Japan is included in the Domestic Travel Subsidy Program, making it different from the Go To Travel Campaign launched in 2020.

This is why the details of the subsidy program differ in each prefecture. Some prefectures even offer original travel discounts―in addition to the 11,000 yen maximum subsidy offered by the national campaign.

Which Accommodation Facilities Offer Discounts?

Keep in mind that not all accommodation facilities and tours are part of the Domestic Travel Subsidy Program.

Please note that at the end of this article, there's a list of websites for each prefecture's subsidy campaign. This article also features information on tours.

We Recommend Making Reservations ASAP!

Presently, accommodation facilities have received a flood of reservations, prompting travel agencies and tour companies to shut down their website reservation sites temporarily.

However, the subsidy program is backed by a 560 billion yen budget. Although many places have stopped taking reservations, there's a good possibility that they will resume bookings in the near future. So, please keep checking back with them.

Discounts in Addition to the Travel Subsidy Program

Tokushima Prefecture's Iya Valley Gorge. Photo by Pixta

As previously mentioned, each prefecture's details concerning the Domestic Travel Subsidy Program will differ. Next, we'll introduce some of the prefectures offering original discounts in addition to the national subsidy program.

Tadaima Tokyo Plus (Japanese) is the website for accessing the Domestic Travel Subsidy Program in Tokyo. This can be used in conjunction with Motto TOKYO (Japanese), a discount service for travels in the greater Tokyo area for locals.

Motto TOKYO offers a 5,000 yen discount on one night's accommodation. With the national program, travelers can enjoy a maximum discount of up to 16,000 yen!

The start date for Motto TOKYO was October 20, 2022.

Nagano Prefecture

Nagano Prefecture's Shinshu Wari SPECIAL (Japanese) offers a 1,000 yen discount (500 yen coupon x 2) on transportation for a one-night stay per person. This will help keep transportation costs down when visiting spots within the prefecture.

Nara Prefecture

Nara Prefecture's Ima Nara Campaign 2022 (Japanese) offers discount coupons for souvenir shopping and other items at participating shops in the prefecture. 1,000 yen coupons are issued for national holidays, while 2,000 yen coupons are available for prefectural citizens.

Kochi Prefecture

In Kochi Prefecture, the Kochi Kanko Recovery Campaign (Japanese)―Kochi's original discount campaign―can be used with the Kochi Kanko Tokuwari Campaign (Japanese), the national program.

The Kochi Kanko Recovery Campaign offers travelers a 5,000 yen cashback on money spent on highway fees and public transportation.

Tokushima Prefecture

Tokushima Prefecture's Minnade! Tokushima Travel Wari (Japanese) is aimed at travel packages within the prefecture that include accommodation and travel fees. It plans on giving each person a maximum of 5,000 yen cashback in addition to the national campaign's benefits.

Which Travel Sites Deal With the Travel Subsidy Program?

With the Travel Subsidy Program, discounts can be received when making a reservation directly with the accommodation facility. Travelers can also make a booking via a hotel reservation site.

Below, we've listed the reservation sites that handle the Domestic Travel Subsidy Program.

Currently, some sites are temporarily not accepting bookings due to the flood of reservations. There might be additional important points to consider, so please consult the official websites for more details.

Rakuten Travel

Join a Tour for a Worry-Free Experience

Some people might feel that it's troublesome to check the terms and conditions of the subsidy program in different prefectures.

We recommend booking a tour through a travel agency at times like this! Below, we've listed tour companies that handle the subsidy program, so by all means, please take a look.

Yahoo! Travel

Kinki Nippon Tourist

Nippon Travel Agency

Official Websites for Participating Prefectures and Cities

The prefectures and their official websites for accessing the Domestic Travel Subsidy Program are listed below. Please use this as a reference when departing on your next trip.

Note: All of the websites are in Japanese. Some websites have links to English travel content but not to the subsidy program itself.

Use These Discounts to Enjoy Travels in Japan!

Rurikoin Temple in Kyoto. Photo by Pixta With the domestic COVID-19 situation gradually improving, many people in Japan are getting the travel bug.

In addition to the Domestic Travel Subsidy Program, several prefectures are offering their own unique travel discount services.

Please use these campaigns to save on expenses and fully enjoy your travels in Japan!

Main image: Tokushima Prefecture's Iya Valley Gorge. Photo by Pixta

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Japan gov't domestic travel discount program to continue next year

The Japanese government will continue to implement its domestic tourism subsidy program through next year, tourism minister Tetsuo Saito said Friday, although the start date will depend on COVID-19 infection rates.

The National Travel Discount program, originally planned to last until Dec. 27, provides a financial subsidy of up to 11,000 yen ($79) a night per person for up to a total of seven days, but the subsidy will now be reduced to a maximum 7,000 yen per night from 2023.

The year-end and New Year holidays will not be subject to the government's tourism-boosting subsidy program for residents of Japan.

The program began on Oct. 11 in all of Japan's 47 prefectures except Tokyo, which joined the scheme later in the month.

Under the new plan, package tours that include charter bus and rail travel costs will be subsidized up to 5,000 yen, down from 8,000 yen. Those going on day trips or only paying for accommodation can obtain a subsidy of up to 3,000 yen, instead of the current 5,000 yen.

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How to Apply for the Go To Travel Campaign

The Japanese government has launched the Go To Travel Campaign to encourage people to travel around Japan from July 22, 2020 onwards. This is a great opportunity to travel cheaply in Japan! This campaign is not for international travelers but only for residents in Japan. So if you already live in Japan, why not go for a trip around Japan with the Go To Travel Campaign? In this article, we will explain what the Go To Travel Campaign is and how to travel cheap with it!

What is the Go To Travel Campaign?

Current situation of go to travel campaign (updated 2022), prefectural discount, motto tokyo, how to use go to travel coupons, the website you can book go to travel campaign:, how to take a pcr test in japan, tour packages, japan wonder travel tours , other articles you may enjoy.

The Go To Campaign consists of 4 different campaigns which will support the industries which have been severely affected by COVID-19 such as travel, food, and entertainment industries, etc. Go To Travel Campaign is one of these campaigns and the government will cover half of the domestic travel costs up to ¥20,000 per person per day (up to ¥10,000 for a day trip) by issuing coupons that are worth 15% of travel costs (up to a total of ¥6,000 per day) and giving 35% off discount on the travel package. There is no limit on the number of traveling with the campaign, so you can repeatedly travel at half-price in Japan during the campaign.

Go To Travel Campaign has been suspended since March 2021 .

Meanwhile, there are alternative campaigns such as the prefectural campaigns which are quite similar to the Go To Travel Campaign. (we will explain it later in this article)

Go To Travel campaign will be resumed as GoTo 2.0 when it’s ready, and the discount rate is likely to change. The discount rate is originally 35 percent of the trip cost (up to 14,000 yen) and comes with local coupons that are 15% worth of the whole travel costs (up to 6,000 yen). ▶See how it works GoTo 2.0, however, will give a 30% discount (up to 10,000 yen) with 3,000 yen (weekdays) or 1,000 yen (weekends) coupons.

At the moment, what we expect for the new Go To Travel campaign is as follows; 

• More discounts may be applied on weekdays than on weekends
• It’ll be required the vaccination certificate or certificate of the negative test result to apply for the campaign.

We’ll update the latest information accordingly when the official announcement is made.

Pre-Go To Travel Campaign 2022

From October 11 to the end of December or early January , the government decided to launch a new campaign (全国旅行支援, zenkoku ryoko shien) to encourage people to travel more. During this campaign, you can travel anywhere around Japan with a discount as long as you already got vaccinated three times or get a negative test result on the PCR test.

The prefectural discount offers to the residents of Japan, giving a discount on travel packages and a coupon ticket for local restaurants. It gives you a maximum of 7,000 yen for both a travel package and a coupon ticket (5,000 yen for accommodation + 2,000 yen for coupons).  This discount is valid until September 30th, 2022 , and you can use this discount only in the region you live in. Regions and prefectures that you can currently use Prefectural Discount (as of September 13)

You can book from the website of Japanese travel agencies such as Jalan and Rakuten Travel etc.

From September 1st, 2022, the Motto Tokyo campaign will resume for Tokyo residents. If you plan for an overnight trip that costs over 6,000 yen, you will get a 5,000 yen discount! For a day trip, if your travel costs over 3,000 yen, you will get a 2,500 yen discount. The Motto Tokyo campaign will be valid until September 30, 2022.

How does the Go To Travel Campaign work?

It is basically a package deal, and the campaign will cover half of the travel costs up to ¥20,000 per person per day. About 70% of reimbursement is an actual discount on the package and about 30% of it is with coupons that you can use for gift shops, restaurants, amusement parks, and transportation.

Here’s how it works;

• If your travel package costs ¥20,000, you can save half of the cost which is ¥10,000 with the campaign. You will pay ¥13,000 for your trip but you will get coupons with a total value of ¥3,000. With that, you can save ¥10,000 in total.
• If your travel cost is ¥50,000, half of the costs will be ¥25,000, however, the reimbursement is up to ¥20,000 per day. So you will pay ¥36,000 of the total costs and will get coupons with a total value of ¥6,000. With the coupons, eventually, you can save ¥20,000 in total.

How to apply for the Go To Travel Campaign

Book a package via travel agencies or book the accommodation directly. If you book a package via a travel agency, accommodations and transportation (trains, highway fees, airplanes, buses, etc.) will be included but if you book accommodations directly, transportation will be excluded from the discount. But either way, you will get coupons. The discount is not only valid for the accommodation but also if you book overnight transportation such as a cruise ship, the overnight ferry, or a sleeper train (excluding overnight transportation that only offers seats), you can get a discount for those too. If you want to go on a day trip, the campaign will cover your transportation fee + food or activities.

We ( Japan Wonder Travel ) are not currently operating the service. The websites you can book Go To Travel Campaign are as follows,

Either a vaccination certificate or a certificate of the negative test result will be required if you apply for the Go To Travel Campaign. There’s an English service that allows you to get a test quickly and easily in Tokyo and Osaka. You can choose the test type between swab and saliva. There’s an option to receive the negative result certificate on the same day as you take the test, so if you are in a rush, this will be very useful! ▶ Book PCR test from here

If you have any questions about coupons, please read these articles first! – Everything you need to know about Go To Travel Campaign Coupons (General) – The best way to use go to Travel Campaign Coupons in the popular destinations

Q. Is the hotel for the quarantine also included for the Go To Travel Campaign? It can be used for the quarantine hotel if you are a resident visa holder. Basically only the Japan resident can use the Go To Travel Campaign. But not every hotel accepts the quarantine, so please check with the hotel before you make a booking. If you are an international traveler and look for a quarantine hotel, please check this website for more information ( Self-Isolation Japan.com ) Q. How can we get coupons? Please check this article! ( Where can you receive the coupons? )

Q. If I want to stay for a couple of nights at my friend’s house, can I still use the Go To Travel Campaign? As long as you stay at the hotel on the same day of your arrival, your trip can be applied partly to the Go To Travel Campaign. For example, if you go on a trip for 3 nights 4 days and you stay at the hotel for the first night and stay at your friend’s house for the rest of your trip, it’s considered a 1 night 2 days trip for the Go To Travel Campaign and you will get the discount for it. However, if you only stay at your friend’s house, it is not applicable for the Go To Travel Campaign at all.

Follow us on  Instagram ,  Facebook , and  Twitter  for more travel inspiration. Or tag us to get featured! 

Happy traveling!

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Great article! “[…]If you already made a booking for your trip before the campaign started, you can still apply the discount if you went on a trip between July 22nd to August 31st. “ 🤓 I checked the indicated website to apply online and unfortunately it looks like the application deadline for this was 14 September. Does anyone know of this is the case or if there is another way of applying still? Thank you.

Hi Rashomon-san, Thank you for pointing it out, and that’s correct, the deadline for the application was September 14th. Sorry we haven’t updated with that information. We updated on the article as well.

I was going to request a motel quote using Go To Travel. However, found the information requested to be intrusive and not required for just my asking for a quote.

Hi Mark, Thanks for your message. In terms of the price for accomodation: you can check the prices of the hotel online yourself and add our service fee to the amount. However, we cannot only book your accommodation, as a travel agency we need to sell packages (transportation & accommodation + optional activities). If you are looking to only book a motel I recommend you do this yourself (as this is the cheapest way). For the actual booking we need to collect some information such as proof of living in Japan (and being able to make use of the Go To Travel campaign) and keep it on file. That’s why we ask for a copy of your residence card. Hope we could clarify some things for you, otherwise please send us an email or reply here again.

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Japan will resume its domestic travel discount from January 10 2023

Japan residents can save up to 20 percent on transport and accommodation with the National Travel Discount Programme

Back in October, Japan introduced a nationwide travel subsidy programme for residents, with big discounts on transport and accommodation. The current edition of the National Travel Discount Programme is available across almost all prefectures until December 28 2022, with discounts of up to 40 percent on transport and accommodation. 

Now, the Japan Tourism Agency has announced that the programme will be extended from January 10 2023 , but with reduced discounts. The revised programme offers discounts of up to 20 percent (a maximum of ¥5,000 per person per night) on transport and accommodation.

What are the new deals?

As of January 10, the programme will offer discounts on public transport and accommodation packages  up to ¥5,000 per person per night . If you’re opting for a day trip , you can save up to ¥3,000 per person on transportation. The deal also comes with discount coupons worth up to ¥2,000 on weekdays and ¥1,000 on weekends and holidays , which you can redeem at local restaurants and other attractions. The current paper vouchers will be changed to digital coupons.

How to be eligible for the discount

Note that only those with residency status in Japan are eligible for the travel subsidy . Details regarding Covid-19 prevention measures, such as vaccination certificates and negative PCR test results, have yet to be announced for the revised programme. 

The new campaign with reduced discounts starts from January 10 . The discount deals are limited, so the campaign in each prefecture will end when the capacity has been reached. For details and additional requirements, make sure to check each prefecture’s campaign website here . Note that most of the websites will only be updated in the next few days, so don’t worry if you see campaign-end dates stating December 28.

The easiest and fastest way to book your vacation is via travel booking sites Jalan and JTB . Their official campaign booking sites will be updated in the near future after details have been confirmed by each prefecture.

This article will be updated as soon as new information becomes available.

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Japan to extend nationwide travel discount program

18:08 JST, November 26, 2022

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — The government is planning to extend its nationwide travel discount program, originally set to end in late December, tourism minister Tetsuo Saito said Friday.

 Saito said that the program will be suspended from Dec. 28 and resumed after the New Year holiday period. The day of resumption will be announced later.

 Meanwhile, discounts under the program will be reduced, with the discount rate to fall to 20% from the current 40% and the maximum discount amount to drop to ¥5,000 from ¥8,000 a night per tourist for tour packages including public transportation services, as well as to ¥3,000 from ¥5,000 for only hotel stays or single-day trips.

 Shopping coupons provided under the program will be partially decreased. The amount for such coupons for weekdays will be cut to ¥2,000 from ¥3,000, while the amount for public holidays will be maintained at ¥1,000.

 Certificates of having received at least three COVID-19 vaccine doses or having tested negative for the coronavirus will continue to be required for using the travel discount program.

 The program was launched in October, with the aim of supporting the tourism industry battered by the pandemic.

 “We reviewed the program from the viewpoint of providing support for as long a period as possible,” Saito said at the press conference.

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Japan to Continue Nationwide Travel Discount Program in 2023

Rashaad Jorden , Skift

November 25th, 2022 at 1:00 PM EST

The Japanese government announced on Friday i t’s planning to resume its domestic travel discount program in the new year .

Tourism Minister Tetsuo Saito said the government will decide when exactly to relaunch the program, which was initially expected to conclude on December 28 , after monitoring Covid cases in the country. Participants in the program, a campaign the government hopes will resurrect a tourism industry battered by the pandemic, are required to have received at least three Covid vaccine doses or test negative for the virus. The Japanese government relaunched the travel discount program in October after pausing it during the heart of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, discounts offered in the program will be reduced next year, with the discount rate to drop to 20 percent from the current 40 percent. The maximum discount amount available for travelers in tour packages, including public transportation services, will also decrease from $58 (8,000 yen) to $36 (5,000 yen).

Tags: coronavirus recovery , discounts , japan

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Reservation sites jammed as Japan kickstarts travel discount program

October 11, 2022 (Mainichi Japan)

Japanese version

TOKYO -- The Japanese government's "National Travel Discount" program aimed at sparking domestic tourism demand started on the morning of Oct. 11, attracting hordes of traffic at travel reservation websites and making some of them difficult to view.

From around 9 a.m., customers had difficulty accessing Yahoo! Travel's website as it began accepting reservations for package tours including air tickets and accommodation. Similar situations hit Rakuten Travel and Jalan's websites, with some people finding it hard to advance to search or reservation pages.

Under the National Travel Discount program, the government will subsidize 40% of travel expenses until late December.

(Japanese original by Mihoko Kato, Business News Department)

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Nationwide travel discount program is extended to the next year despite smaller discount rate

Japan Tourism Agency announced that the nationwide travel discount program will be extended to December 27 2022 (checkout on December 28) from originally December 21 2022 and to even the next year despite smaller discount rate than the rate until December 27. The agency expects that the revision of the program will contribute to gradual change of travel demand.

The discount rate next year will be reduced to 20% from 40% currently, and the upper discounted amounts will be 5,000 JPY a night for a package product with transportation (8,000 JPY currently) and 3,000 JPY a night for others (5,000 JPY currently). 

Local shopping coupons will be 2,000 JPY a person for weekdays and 1,000 JPY a person for weekend. 

Japan Tourism Agency said that a start day of the revised program depends on the infection condition. 

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Japan will fully open the border on October 11 2022 by lifting visa requirement for foreigners and the limited entry cap a day

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced in New York on September 22 2022 that the government has decided to lift visa requirement for foreign visitors and the limited cap of entries a day and also begin accepting international individual travelers on October 11 2022. 

In addition, the government will also launch a nationwide travel discount program and a discount program for events, which had been shelved due to the spread of COVID-19 infections, on the same day.

The Japanese government has gradually eased the cap of entries to 20,000 a day with acceptance of tourism-purpose guided tours in June 2022 and to 50,000 a day with acceptance of tourism-purpose tours without guides in September. Visa requirement and complicated procedures, however, have discouraged foreign travelers to visit Japan. 

Open of FIT will also be a big opportunity to resume international visitors to Japan because the inbound travel market of Japan used to be propped up with free individual travels before the pandemic. 

Taking an advantage of weaker Yen, the government is trying to rebuild the tourism industry. 

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Confusing mix of policies sours start of domestic travel discount campaign

The kickoff of a nationwide travel discount program aimed at boosting the domestic tourism industry is facing headwinds due to a confusing array of policies that vary by prefecture.

Discounts of up to ¥8,000 ($54) per person per day will be available for package tours including public transportation, while discounts of up to ¥5,000 per person per day will be offered for bookings of accommodation only. Vouchers worth ¥3,000 per person per day are available for food and shopping expenses on weekdays, with the figure falling to ¥1,000 per person per day on weekends.

Travelers need to be vaccinated with three shots or provide a negative PCR test taken within three days of their departure. The discounts will be available for travel through Dec. 20.

Overall, the campaign began on Tuesday, but Tokyo has delayed accepting travelers using the discounts to Oct. 20.

Meanwhile, Miyagi Prefecture is allowing its residents to be eligible for the discounts with only two shots when traveling within the prefecture. But travelers visiting from outside the prefecture need to be vaccinated with three doses to qualify.

“By making prefectures implement (their own) discounts, they can flexibly run the system based on the spread of infections in their local areas,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said on Tuesday. “Prefectures are offering their own time schedule or types of discount and then conveying the information to relevant parties.”

The hodgepodge of rules is causing a headache for travel agencies and hotel operators.

Hoshino Resorts, which runs a hotel chain, decided to push back accepting reservations for the discounts until Oct. 25 so they can have a website ready that offers a comprehensive rundown of the details and conditions for the discounts for each of its hotels across Japan.

“Under the current system, users are expected to go through more steps to make reservations since the campaigns vary by prefecture and policy on vaccinations may differ among travelers,” Hoshino Resorts said on its website.

“As a result, we launched a dedicated website for the national travel discount from Oct. 11 that offers all the details at a glance,” Hoshino Resorts said.

In addition, the Japan Tourism Agency's announced that discounts could be applied to trips that had been booked before the start of the discount campaign, which only added to the confusion, with some booking agencies setting separate polices.

Travel agency H.I.S. has asked travelers who booked trips before Oct. 7 — ahead of the discount launch — to cancel their reservations and rebook after Friday if they want to apply the discounts for trips starting in November. The move prompted harsh criticism on social media.

Yahoo Travel, meanwhile, stopped accepting reservations for prefectures that have already received the maximum number of reservations for the funding allocated to the travel agency. Those prefectures include: Iwate, Miyagi, Yamagata, Niigata, Tochigi, Ehime, Nagasaki and Miyazaki.

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