Hi I’m Nathan, Ninja Monkey, the place for Japan travel tips and related news aimed especially
towards prospective travellers such as students, tourists and business people who are hoping
to enter Japan.
I am currently focusing on what’s happening behind Japan’s closed borders and hopefully
will be giving you some important insights that will be relevant so that you can make
informed decisions.
I do the research so that you don’t have to, and as always I will be leaving all the
links in the video description just in case you want to dig a little deeper!
In this video we will continue looking at Japan’s potential vaccine passport with
some very interesting information being reviled for the first time. The vaccine drive which
is now starting to accelerate which is great news. Some awesome additional vaccination
news that might be a good indicator for Japan reopening. We will also take a dive into some
of the restrictions athletes might be under during the Olympics that are round the corner
and I answer your questions in the comments too! – So watch all the way to the end to
not only support this video but to gain some meaningful and important insights.
So once again the Vaccine Passport is making the news:
I continue to report on the news that Japan is working on issuing their own Vaccine passport,
following other nations world wide. And although this is not really new information, a few
interesting things have come to light.
According to a Nikkei Asia report, Japan plans to issue vaccination certificates to citizens
traveling abroad THIS SUMMER.
This is the first time that a date has actually been mentioned, and although not set in stone,
interesting none the less, as Summer is nearly upon us!
Initially starting with a paper version of the certificate and eventually rolling out
a smartphone solution later on this year, The passport, which will apparently be based
on the European Union’s Digital Covid Certificate which uses a personal Qr Code, means that
it can therefore be made into a paper format that anyone without a smartphone can use.
“Other countries are doing it, so Japan will have to consider it, too,” Taro Kono,
the country’s vaccine minister, told the Japanese parliament in late April when discussing
the government’s plans for a vaccine verification system. And since then further information
has started to surface.
The digital Covid app would make it easier for those vaccinated to travel internationally
by scanning QR codes at airports before boarding flights or when entering the country. Along
with vaccine verification, the app will also include results from PCR and antigen tests.
If the government decides to issue the certificate, it will then negotiate with other countries
on whether Japanese nationals with the certificate would be exempt from quarantine after entry
and on how Japan would treat visitors with similar certificates.
It’s interesting that a Japan times article mentions how Japan would treat visitors with
similar certificates as this could mean a similar initiative for entry into Japan and
could affect how quarantine is done in the future. This is actually exciting news and
if not just the opinion of the journalist then a very positive step forward that could
potentially impact all wanting to enter.
At present, Japan is not open to foreign travellers. Supporters of vaccine verification systems
say being able to verify vaccine status will be key to the country’s ability to reopen
for leisure and business travel.
Like in many other parts of the world, support for vaccine verification apps has been picking
up steam in Asia. This week top diplomats in China are meeting with foreign ministers
from the 10 ASEAN countries in Southeast Asia — Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,
Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, to discuss a number of subjects,
including the feasibility of a common vaccine passport, according to the Associated Press.
However there are so many mixed rules that you really don’t know what will actually
end up settling.
For example Royal Caribbean Plans To Carry Unvaccinated Passengers on their cruise ships
where vaccinations will be recommended but not required, what seems to be a change as
the cruise line had updated its vaccine requirements page to say that all guests age 16 and older
would need to complete all doses of their Covid-19 vaccine at least 14 days before sailing.
Therefore, who know what will actually happen. Afterall what is said now doesn’t necessarily
mean it will come to fruition.
So let's look at Japan’s vaccine update, a continued positive picture is unfolding!
And some more interesting updates follow this weeks stats too.
As of the 10th of June, there have now been 8,959,914 doses administered to healthcare
workers (out of which 3,809,593 are second doses.) This is an increase of 864,437 healthcare
worker doses since last week’s update, baring in mind that Japan is starting to reach the
end of health care vaccinations and is starting to focus on other people getting inoculated.
12,448,211 elderly citizen doses have now also been administered. This also includes
the second dose, therefore making it an increase of 4,936,163elderly citizen doses since my
last update and evidence of this drive continuing to gain momentum.
This means that there have now been collectively 21,408,125 jabs administered including second
doses and an increase of 5,800,600 inoculations including the second dose since my last update.
Breaking this down further shows that, 5,150,321 medical workers and 10,791,943 seniors have
received at least one dose therefore a total of 15,942,264 People out of the population
of 126 million are now on their way to being inoculated or are fully vaccinated.
This week we continue to see a substantial increase in regard to doses given, and although
short of the 1 million a day target, things are certainly ramping up and getting close
to that target.
Statistics are always difficult to communicate and even the official statistics issued by
the Japanese government gives disclaimers of stats not been fully updated so I hope
that breaking them down like this is clear enough for you and I am trying my best to
give you the most up to date information.
As we can see Japan’s vaccine drive is starting to gain momentum, so let’s check out what
else is happening in this area and how it could actually continue to strengthen the
drive.
But first a quick reminder that I always look forward to reading your thoughts and love
interacting with you in the comment section!
Don’t forget to like the video if you haven’t already as it does help me out and tells YouTube
that you are interested in this type of content too! And, If you want to really help me out
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So back to the video,
So what could potentially be the biggest and most ambitious yet promising piece of news
is that Japan is aiming to vaccinate the entire population by November!
"In October or November, we want to finish vaccinating all the people who need or want
to be vaccinated. I myself will lead all-out efforts to roll out vaccinations and contain
the spread of infection." Said Prime Minister Suga.
If he does indeed succeed, this could potentially be a turning point for entry into Japan for
the general public. Looking at what has happened in other countries and territories can help
us speculate on the matter. In a lot of these cases; as more of the population get inoculated,
more freedoms of movement and opening of borders has occurred. Therefore we can only hope that
the same might happen in Japan especially if the Majority of the population is vaccinated
and the trauma of the Olympics is over by this time. And perhaps even before, as vaccines
start taking effect, there is no reason for Japan to not reopen. However I’ll let you
make an educated guess as to when this might be, but hopefully this is a strong and good
indicator of this to come.
Also, in order to make this year’s Olympics and Paralympics as safe as possible, Japan
is considering vaccinating about 70,000 volunteers, while thousands of media members traveling
to the country will be tracked by a global positioning system to improve the safety concerns.
Media personnel entering Japan from abroad could be monitored by GPS to make sure they
follow the rules that will be spelled out in the third edition of the so-called Playbooks
due out later this month.
How would you feel about having all your movements tracked by GPS? Let me know in the comments
below!
In other news, the CDC has lowered Japan from its highest risk category to a Level 3, not
banning travel, but asking travellers to reconsider travel to Japan. Strangely, advice that will
go nowhere as you cannot currently enter the country!
So, It seems that the so called Athletes rule book has recently been published and few articles
are reporting on what it includes. I found this particularly interesting as I really
do hope that tourists or visitors won’t have similar treatment!
So, summarising some of the things that athletes will need to follow:
- Firstly Vaccines will be available but currently will not be required at the games.
- Athletes will be tested often throughout their stay in Japan, including daily temperature
scans and health reports. Daily tests via a rapid saliva antigen test. If the result
is positive or unclear, a slower, but more accurate PCR test will be conducted using
the same sample of saliva. Contact tracing will be done in the event
that an athlete tests positive. Athletes can't hug or high five
Athletes are to stay two meters away from each other even when eating,
Athletes cannot be tourists and may only leave their accommodation to go to official Games
venues and limited additional locations, as defined by the list of permitted destinations.
Athletes must wear masks nearly all the time his
So this is only a summary, I might go into further detail in a future video, as this
document seems to have just been released and I haven’t managed to actually get my
eyes on it. so let me know if this is something you might be interested in?
So if you are still watching, thanks for watching all the way to the end! I’d like to feature
one or two comments at the end of each video from now on, so start sending in the questions
and I might select yours to answer! I also hope that you can join in a future livestream
where I can answer you directly!
User TA VL says “ Thank’s for all the positivity, I am still hopeful! Regarding
travel, what will your plans be when Japan is ready to open? Will you be going straight
away? Or will you wait a few months for things to settle / calm down? … Would like to know
other people’s thoughts :D
Firstly Awww, thanks for your positive comment, I’m glad that I can be positive and helpful.
So to answer your question. I’d love to travel to Japan as soon as Japan reopens,
I don’t feel that I would need to wait for things to settle or calm down, As a vaccinated
person who continues to take precautions I feel that I’d be ok travelling if the country
is ready to accept me. However, due to my Job I might not actually be able to travel
to Japan when she reopens. I’m actually a school teacher which means that I’m at
the mercy of the school calendar and can only travel throughout the Christmas period, easter
and an extended summer. There are other opportunities for me to travel at the beginning of November
and the end of February but these breaks are only a week long and might be a little hard
to use! So, If Japan’s reopening aligns with my calendar then YES I will most certainly
be traveling to Japan straight away, and if Japan reopens during term time then I will
need to frustratingly wait until my next break! - I hope this answers your question, and I’d
love You to answer this user’s question too.. Will you be travelling straight away?
Or will you be a cautious traveller?
Anyway to end the video.. If you haven’t checked out any of my older travel videos
I recommend you do so and leave a like and comment there too!
I’m really looking forward to returning to Japan and making more content once I’m
there taking you along for the ride! but in the meantime I will continue giving you useful
information, tips and insights.
As always I’d love to hear your thoughts. Lets get a conversation started in the comment
section. I do try to respond to as many as I can!
Don’t forget to like the video too!
Till next time . Arigatou, gracias thanks bye!