Japan Forward
Date: July 6, 2020
By: Editorial Board, Sankei Shimbun 

Japan has lifted some of its restrictions on travel into and out of Japan which were imposed in order to guard against the spread of the novel coronavirus. Oddly, however, it has given Taiwan the cold shoulder.

On June 25, a party from Japan’s business community took off from Tokyo International Airport at Narita. Destination: Vietnam. This marked the first step in Japan’s resumption of normal overseas air traffic. 

Phased relaxation of restrictions on Japan’s inbound and outbound travels is a must if we are to get the country’s economy out of the deep freeze. However, the core premise we need to follow in doing so is that all policies should aim at preventing a recurrence of the spread of the coronavirus within Japan. To that end, we must have in place a comprehensive testing regime.

As part of its policy to stop the coronavirus at “the water’s edge,” Japan has refused entry to foreigners from 111 nations and regions.     [FULL  STORY]