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Japan Travel Advisory

Travel advisory january 8, 2024, japan - level 1: exercise normal precautions.

Japan – Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions

Reissued after periodic review without changes.

Exercise normal precautions in Japan.

Read the  country information page  for additional information on travel to Japan.

If you decide to travel to Japan: 

• Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)  to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Follow the Department of State on  Facebook  and  Twitter .
• Follow Embassy Tokyo’s American Citizen Services section on  Facebook  and  Twitter .
• Review the  Country Security Report  for Japan.
• Visit the CDC page for the latest  Travel Health Information  related to your travel.
• Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the  Traveler’s Checklist .

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• Novel coronavirus (COVID-19)
• Any restrictions on entering Japan?

On April 29th, 2023, all border measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 were lifted.

Those who are entering Japan on or after April 29th, 2023, will not be required to present a Valid Vaccination Certificate or a Covid-19 Negative Test Certificate.

For more information, please check the following page.

https://www.japan.travel/en/practical-coronavirus-information/

Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

• https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/covid-19/bordercontrol.html

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• https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/page4e_001053.html

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• Should we cancel or postpone our trip to Japan?
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Covid-19 vaccination certificates valid for entry into japan from abroad.

In applying measures based on New Border Measures (28) (May 20, 2022), COVID-19 vaccination certificates recognized as valid since July 31, 2022, in principle, fall under any of the categories 1. or 2. below.

• (1) COVID-19 vaccination certificates issued by either the Government of Japan or a local public authority/municipality in Japan (The COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate for overseas travel)
• (2) Documents to prove vaccination for COVID-19 issued by a local public authority/municipality in Japan
• (3) Records of Vaccination for COVID-19 issued by medical institutions in Japan
• (Note 1) COVID-19 vaccination certificates written in languages other than Japanese or English are considered as valid if the translation (Japanese/English) is attached and all the items are clearly identifiable.
• (Note 2) Mix-and-match vaccines are also considered as valid.
• (Note 3) In applying measures based on New Border Measures (28), COMIRNATY manufactured by Fosun Pharma / BioNTech and Covishield / COVOVAX manufactured by the Serum Institute of India are treated as identical to COMIRNATY, Intramuscular injection / Pfizer and Vaxzevria, Intramuscular injection / AstraZeneca, Nuvaxovid, Intramuscular injection / Novavax respectively.
• (Note 4) In applying measures based on New border measures (28), COMIRNATY manufactured by Fosun Pharma / BioNTech and Covishield / COVOVAX manufactured by the Serum Institute of India are treated as identical to COMIRNATY, Intramuscular injection / Pfizer and Vaxzevria, Intramuscular injection / AstraZeneca, Nuvaxovid, Intramuscular injection / Novavax respectively.
• (3) The certificate should be issued by an official body, such as a government.

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Live Updates: The Tokyo Olympics

U.s. lowers the travel risk rating for japan, where covid still shadows the olympics.

Vanessa Romo

The International Olympic Committee plans to implement strict virus-prevention measures that include segregation of athletes from the general population and a ban on overseas fans. Koji Sasahara/AP hide caption

The International Olympic Committee plans to implement strict virus-prevention measures that include segregation of athletes from the general population and a ban on overseas fans.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the State Department have issued new travel advisories lowering the threat of COVID-19 in more than 90 countries and territories , including Japan, which is in the grips of a new wave of infections ahead of the Olympics next month.

The CDC lowered Japan from its highest risk category — Level 4 — to a Level 3, on Monday, Reuters first reported . It also moved 61 other countries to the same tier and another 50 were dropped to Level 2 or Level 1. Additionally, the CDC has revised its rating for the United States from Level 4 to Level 3.

Just last month the State Department was warning Americans not to travel to this summer's Olympic host country, issuing a Level 4: Do Not Travel Advisory for Japan. That stirred up international controversy as Japanese officials insisted the nation would be prepared for the Games starting on July 23 after they had been postponed for a year due to the pandemic.

But on Tuesday the State Department followed the CDC's lead, giving the country a new Level 3 rating . The change is not an enthusiastic endorsement as the guidance urges Americans to "reconsider travel to Japan," but it puts the department closer in line with the White House's position on the issue. The Biden administration has endorsed the Olympic Games in Tokyo despite dire warnings from health experts in Japan.

The country has also been slow in its rollout of the vaccine — less than 4% of the population has been fully vaccinated. Eugene Hoshiko/AP hide caption

The country has also been slow in its rollout of the vaccine — less than 4% of the population has been fully vaccinated.

Health conditions throughout Japan remain grim as officials fail to contain the spread of the virus

As NPR's Anthony Kuhn reported , "The spread in Japan of variant strains of the virus has slowed the decline in case numbers. Some hospitals remain overstretched by COVID-19 patients, and some people have died at home without being able to access medical care."

The country has also been slow in its rollout of vaccines — less than 4% of the population has been fully vaccinated, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.

The cumulative effect of the circumstances has led to voices being raised in Japan against the Olympics.

But regardless of the grim reality, Japanese officials are adamant that the Games will proceed safely. And the International Olympic Committee plans to implement strict virus-prevention measures that include keeping athletes segregated from the general population. The IOC is also banning overseas fans from the Games.

Doctors warn of an Olympic coronavirus strain

But even with those measures the head of a Japanese doctors' union warned late last month of the dangers of a possible Olympic coronavirus strain with the arrival of tens of thousands of visitors from 200 nations around the world.

"All of the different mutant strains of the virus which exist in different places will be concentrated and gathering here in Tokyo," Naoto Ueyama said at a news conference on May 27, Reuters reported. "We cannot deny the possibility of even a new strain of the virus potentially emerging."

Ueyama added: "If such a situation were to arise, it could even mean a Tokyo Olympic strain of the virus being named in this way, which would be a huge tragedy and something which would be the target of criticism, even for 100 years."

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CDC issues health alert as dengue cases hit record high. See how many reported in Florida

Puerto rico has declared a public health emergency, with almost 1,500 cases of dengue this year.

The Centers for Disease Control has issued a health alert over the increased risk of dengue virus infections in the United States.

Dengue fever, a viral infection transmitted by mosquitoes , has been reported in 43 states — including Florida — so far this year, according to the CDC.

A total of 2,241 dengue cases in the U.S. were reported on the CDC website early Wednesday, June 26. Of those cases, 1,496 were acquired locally. The remainder were travel related.

How many cases of dengue fever have been reported in Florida?

The CDC reports there have been 197 cases of dengue in Florida in 2024. Of those, six were acquired locally, and 191 were travel related.

The majority of the dengue cases acquired in Florida were in Miami-Dade County, according to the Florida Department of Health.

In 2022, the latest data available from Florida Health Charts, there were 966 cases of dengue fever reported in Florida. Counties with dengue cases were:

• 675: Miami-Dade
• 77: Hillsborough
• 57: Broward
• 29: Palm Beach
• 13: Collier, Orange
• 5: Osecola, Sarasota
• 3: Hendry, Pasco, Volusia
• 2: Escambia, Flagler, Hernando, Manatee, Martin, Suwannee
• 1: Bay, Brevard, Charlotte, Indian River, Lake, Leon, St. Johns, Santa Rosa

Why did the CDC issue a health alert on dengue?

The CDC said it issued the health alert to notify healthcare providers, public health authorities and the public of an increased risk of dengue virus infections in the United States in 2024.

"Global incidence of dengue in 2024 has been the highest on record for this calendar year; many countries are reporting higher-than-usual  dengue case numbers . In 2024,  countries in the Americas  have reported a record-breaking number of dengue cases, exceeding the highest number ever recorded in a single year," the CDC said.

"From Jan. 1 through June 24, 2024, countries in the Americas reported more than 9.7 million dengue cases, twice as many as in all of 2023 (4.6 million cases). In the United States, Puerto Rico has declared a public health emergency (1,498 cases) and a higher-than-expected number of dengue cases have been identified among U.S. travelers (745 cases)." 

How do people get dengue?

Dengue is a viral disease  caused by any of four related viruses, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

The  dengue virus spreads from person to person  through the bite from an infected  Aedes aegypti  or  Aedes albopictus  mosquito, both of which are present in Florida , according to the Florida Department of Health.

After a female  mosquito bites a person infected with the dengue  virus, there's an incubation period of eight to 12 days. After that time, the mosquito can transmit the virus for the rest of their one-month life span, the CDC said.

Is there a treatment if you get dengue?

There are no antiviral medications approved to treat dengue , the CDC said.

Treatment is supportive, when needed.

What are the symptoms of dengue fever?

The most  common dengue symptom  is a high fever of 104 degrees, and any of the following signs:

• Muscle, bone or joint pain
• Pain behind the eyes
• Swollen glands

Mild symptoms of dengue can be confused with other illnesses that cause fever, the CDC said.

Symptoms of dengue typically  last two to seven days.

Most people will recover after about a week.

When to seek emergency help if you think you have dengue

Severe dengue is a medical emergency , the CDC said. Warning signs usually begin in the 24 to 48 hours after your fever has gone away.

"About 1 in 20 people who get sick with dengue will develop severe dengue. Severe dengue can result in shock, internal bleeding, and death." A blood test is the only way to confirm the diagnosis.

"Untreated  severe dengue fever  may have a mortality rate of 10% to 20%. However, with appropriate supportive care, the mortality rate can be reduced to approximately 1%," the National Library of Medicine said.

Go to a local clinic or emergency room if you have any of the following symptoms:

• Belly pain or tenderness
• Vomiting (at least three times in 24 hours)
• Bleeding from the nose or gums
• Vomiting blood, or blood in the stool
• Feeling extremely tired or restless

Recommendations to protect yourself from mosquitoes

• Use Environmental Protection Agency-approved repellents during travel to and after returning from areas with frequent or continuous dengue transmission.
• Wear loose-fitting, long-sleeved pants and shirts.
• Use air conditioning and window screens when possible, to lower risk for mosquito bites indoors.
• Dump and drain containers that hold water to reduce mosquito egg-laying sites in your home and neighborhood.
• Seek medical care if you have a fever or have dengue symptoms and live in or traveled to an area with dengue  outbreaks  .
• If you plan international travel to a  an area with frequent or continuous dengue transmission , protect yourself from mosquito bites during and after your trip.

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All information here is gathered from the relevant authorities. Due to the regularly changing situation, it is essential for you to always check and follow the latest guidance.

Last updated: Wednesday, May 31st, 2023

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Rabies Pre-exposure Prophylaxis

• Pre-exposure vaccination is recommended for persons who work directly with animals that could have rabies
• Also, those who travel to parts of the world where rabies is common and access to medical care is limited.

Pre-exposure vaccination (PrEV)

Most people in the United States have a low risk of encountering an animal with rabies. However, a small subset of people have a higher level of risk, like those who work directly with animals that could have rabies, or those who travel to parts of the world where rabies is common and access to medical care is limited. These people should receive rabies pre-exposure vaccination (PrEV), a series of rabies vaccine doses given before exposure to the rabies virus.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) develops U.S. recommendations about how and when to use vaccines to prevent disease in the United States, including how to prevent rabies in people. ACIP updated rabies vaccine recommendations in May 2022, which are summarized below:

Updates to the ACIP recommendations to prevent human rabies, 2022

• A 2-dose PrEV schedule has replaced the 3-dose PrEV schedule to protect people from rabies for up to 3 years. Options for maintaining protection beyond 3 years are also described.
• Risk categories have been redefined into 5 risk groups.
• The minimum acceptable laboratory value (antibody titer) used to determine whether rabies vaccine booster doses are needed was revised and standardized.
• Many people for whom serial titers were recommended every 2 years now require only a one-time titer (and booster if below a certain level) OR a one-time booster.

Clinical guidance for administering PrEV to people with weakened immune systems has been outlined and includes recommendations to confirm that the vaccine was effective.

Risk category

Who this typically* affects

Recommendations

Risk category 1 Highest risk

People who work with live or concentrated rabies virus in laboratories

2 doses, days 0 and 7

• Check titer every 6 months

Risk category 2

People who frequently do at least one of the following: handle bats, have contact with bats, enter high-density bat environments like caves, or perform animal necropsies

• Check titer every 2 years

Risk category 3

People who interact with, or are at higher risk to interact, with mammals other than bats that could be rabid, for a period longer than three years after they receive PrEP.

This group includes:

• Most veterinarians, veterinary technicians, animal control officers, wildlife biologists, rehabilitators, trappers, and spelunkers (cave explorers)
• Certain travelers to regions outside of the United States where rabies in dogs is commonly found

2 doses, days 0 and 7, plus:

• Either a one-time titer check after 1 year and up to 3 years following the first 2-dose vaccination
• 1-dose booster between 3 weeks and 3 years following the first vaccine in the 2-dose vaccination

Risk category 4

Same population as risk category 3, but at a higher risk for ≤ three years after they receive PrEV

Risk category 5 Lowest risk

General U.S. population

* The typical characteristics described may not include the characteristics of all activities that fall within the described risk group.

For detailed information about these recommendations, please refer to the published MMWR .

Rabies is a preventable viral disease of mammals usually transmitted through the bite of an infected animal.

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Japan is dealing with a 'flesh-eating bacteria' outbreak. Here's what we know about STSS and how to avoid infection

You may have seen alarming headlines warning of a deadly outbreak in Japan over the past few days.

Some outlets have used terms like "flesh-eating bacteria" and "kills in two days", which has sparked international interest.

But Japanese authorities say this wording is an exaggeration of a potential symptom of an infection that is rarely spread to others.

Let's unpack what we know about the disease and the story spreading around the world.

What is the bacterial infection in Japan?

The clinical term for the disease is streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS).

According to NSW Health, it's an infection caused by group A bacteria entering the bloodstream or deep tissue.

This kind of bacteria usually causes mild infections like strep throat in children but certain strains can escalate quickly and lead to invasive group A streptococcal disease (iGAS).

If that sounds familiar, you may have read about cases of iGAS on the rise in Australia last year.

STSS is considered a complication of iGAS that can "develop very quickly into a life-threatening emergency".

How quickly is STSS spreading in Japan?

Japan''s National Institute of Infectious Diseases issued a statement in March warning rates were increasing.

As of June 2, reported cases of STSS in Japan were about 977.

That's quite a leap on the previous period — Japan recorded 941 cases across the entirety of 2023.

Here are the Japanese case numbers from the past few years:

CNN reports this year has already seen the highest number of cases reported in Japan since the current recording method began .

It's not exactly clear why cases are on the rise but Japanese health authorities say a rise in respiratory infections is correlated with COVID-19 measures being relaxed.

Tokyo Women's Medical University professor Ken Kikuchi told Japan's national broadcaster, NHK, people's immune systems were weakened during lockdown.

"We can boost immunity if we are constantly exposed to bacteria but that mechanism was absent during the coronavirus pandemic," he said.

"So, more people are now susceptible to infection, and that may be one reason for the sharp rise in cases."

It's also worth noting the trend isn't limited to Japan.

There have also been increases recorded in Europe.

How does it spread?

It's difficult to say.

While people with open wounds are at an increased risk of contracting STSS, it's not known how the bacteria gets into the bodies of nearly half the people who are diagnosed.

The NSW Health Department says the following groups are most susceptible:

• Older adults and children
• People with diabetes
• People with alcohol use disorder
• People undergoing treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
• People with an immunodeficiency  

What are the symptoms of STSS?

Early symptoms include:

• Fever and chills
• Muscle aches
• Nausea and vomiting

About 24 to 48 hours after the first symptoms start, the following symptoms may develop:

• Low blood pressure
• Organ failure
• A faster-than-normal heart rate
• Rapid breathing
• The death of body tissue

The death of body tissue, which is also known as necrosis, is where the "flesh-eating bacteria" name has come from.

How is it treated?

People with STSS need to receive care at a hospital.

Australia's national public health information service Healthdirect says the disease is treated with antibiotics.

Surgery may also be required to remove the source of infection.

Are there any travel warnings?

At this stage, you don't need to cancel any travel plans.

Smartraveller, the Australian government's travel advice website, hasn't listed STSS as a health risk for travellers in Japan.

The World Health Organisation also hasn't recommended any travel restrictions for countries experiencing outbreaks.

Even though cases are on the rise, it's still considered very rare for someone with STSS to spread the infection to others.

But the CDC warns "less severe group A strep infections can turn into STSS and these bacteria are contagious".

How can I keep safe?

There's no vaccine available, so the best way to avoid infection is to maintain good hygiene.

That includes:

• Washing your hands often and using hand sanitiser
• Washing your body and hair often with soap and clean, running water
• Keeping any wounds clean and bandaged until they heal
• Avoid bodies of water like hot tubs, swimming pools, lakes, rivers and oceans if you have an open wound
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As COVID-19 ticks up in some places, US advisers recommend a fall vaccination campaign

Syringes with vaccines are prepared at the L.A. Care and Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plans’ Community Resource Center where they were offering members and the public free flu and COVID-19 vaccines Oct. 28, 2022, in Lynwood, Calif. (Mark J. Terrill/AP)

NEW YORK — With fresh COVID-19 cases bubbling up in some parts of the country, health officials are setting course for a fall vaccination campaign.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday recommended new shots for all Americans this fall.

Officials acknowledged the need for shots is not as dire as it was only a few years ago. Most Americans have some degree of immunity from being infected, from past vaccinations or both. COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations last month were at about their lowest point since the pandemic first hit the United States in 2020.

But immunity wanes, new coronavirus variants keep emerging and there are still hundreds of COVID-19-associated deaths and thousands of hospitalizations reported each week.

What’s more, health officials have reported upticks this month in COVID-19-associated emergency room visits and hospitalizations, and a pronounced increase in positive test results in the southwestern U.S.

It’s not clear whether that’s a sign of a coming summer wave — which has happened before — or just a blip, said Lauren Ancel Meyers of the University of Texas, who leads a research team that tracks COVID-19.

“We’ll have to see what happens in the coming weeks,” she said.

Earlier this month, the Food and Drug Administration — following the guidance of its own panel of expert advisers — told vaccine manufacturers to target the JN.1 version of the virus. But a week later, the FDA told manufacturers that if they could still switch, a better target might be an offshoot subtype called KP.2.

At a Thursday meeting at the CDC in Atlanta, infectious disease experts unanimously recommended the updated vaccines for Americans age 6 months and older. The CDC director signed off on the recommendation later in the day. The shots are expected to become available in August and September.

Health officials have told Americans to expect a yearly update to COVID-19 vaccines, just like they are recommended to get a new shot each fall to protect against the latest flu strains.

But many Americans aren’t heeding the CDC’s advice.

As of last month, less than one-quarter of U.S. adults and 14% of children were up to date in their COVID shots. Surveys show shrinking percentages of Americans think COVID-19 is a major health threat to the U.S. population, and indicate that fewer doctors are urging patients to get updated vaccines.

CDC officials on Thursday presented recent survey information in which about 23% of respondents said they would definitely get an updated COVID-19 shot this fall, but 33% said they definitely would not.

Meanwhile, the CDC’s Bridge Access Program — which has been paying for shots for uninsured U.S. adults — is expected to shut down in August because of discontinued funding. The program paid for nearly 1.5 million doses from September to last month.

“It is a challenge with this program going away,” said the CDC’s Shannon Stokley.

About 1.2 million U.S. COVID-associated deaths have been reported since early 2020, according to the CDC. The toll was most intense in the winter of 2020-2021, when weekly deaths surpassed 20,000. About 1 out of every 100 Americans ages 75 and older were hospitalized with COVID in the last four years, CDC officials said Thursday.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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Is a COVID summer surge coming? Here’s what CDC data shows

(NEXSTAR) – Warning signs that could signal a rise in COVID infections are appearing in parts of the U.S.

Wastewater testing, which can help detect the spread of a COVID in a community, has shown a significant uptick of the virus in several states. Testing sites in Montana and Florida are reporting “very high” levels of COVID, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports. Levels are “high” in wastewater across Alaska, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland and New Mexico.

Emergency room visits related to COVID-19 are also on the rise, the CDC says, spiking 12.6% in one week. The biggest jumps were seen last week in Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia.

Even with the recent increases, however, hospitalizations for COVID-19 remain very low nationwide. Only 0.6% of all emergency department visits were diagnosed as COVID cases last week.

The CDC also reports a 1% increase in positive tests, but with the proliferation of at-home COVID testing, positive cases often go unreported.

The uptick in cases may be driven by the new dominant subvariants, like FLiRT and KP.3 . While COVID vaccines are still very effective against these strains, it may be a while since you’ve gotten a booster, leaving you more susceptible.

“If everybody’s getting vaccinated in November and December and then everyone is getting sick in December and January, the population is all becoming susceptible around the same time in the summer,” Ilan Rubin, a research fellow at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, told TIME .

The travel and socializing that comes with summer may also increase your exposure.

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