Hi!
I’m Nathan and welcome back to Ninja monkey.
The place for all things related to Japan, where I help you stay updated with current
affairs regarding entry and put together videos to help YOU plan potential future trips.
I do the research so that you don’t have to, and put all the readily available information
into one place.
So don’t miss any future updates by making sure you Subscribe and hit the like button!
too.
As always, I continue to look at how Japan’s vaccine drive is doing as I believe it is
still a relevant thing that is of some importance.
The fact that boosted individuals are given special privileges when entering the country
tells us so.
Therefor let’s have a look at how things have progressed since the last update.
Out of the population of around 126 million people: 81.2% have now received one dose of
the vaccine and 79.8% have received both doses.
And, probably more importantly, 59,699,124 booster third doses have been administered
nationwide, and equals around 47.1% of the population.
An increase of only 3,544,318 since the last update, demonstrating that inoculating people
with the third dose is becoming a little harder than expected.
I do however hope that Japan will reach 50% by the next update.
The good news is that Japanese researchers have discovered that booster shots are still
effective to a certain extent three months after vaccination.
And that although the level of antibody declined to almost half, the level was still high,
and helped maintain some effectiveness.
Vaccination rates for younger people continue low.
However, it’s important to note that over 80% of those aged 70 or older have received
their booster shot.
Let’s quickly talk about the XE strain that has made its way into Japan after being confirmed
to enter the country on April 11th.
The BA.2 subvariant of omicron replaced the BA.1 strain and to simplify things this XE
strain is a combination of the two, giving birth to what according to the U.K. is a strain
that spreads 12.6% faster than BA.2, and the Japanese government plans to thoroughly quarantine
and monitor such cases.
The National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID) estimates that 93% of cases will be
BA.2 by the first week of May, and 100% by the first week of June.
and in terms of XE
"XE has the same components as BA.2 in terms of proteins affecting how the virus enters
cells and causes diseases, and can be considered to be almost the same as the BA.2 strain.
There will surely be more people infected (with the XE variant) in the future, but if
measures such as receiving booster shots and putting on masks are taken, we don't need
to be overly fearful."
Said Takasuke Fukuhara, a virology professor at Hokkaido University.
Regarding the Covid situation in Tokyo and Nationwide, it will be interesting to keep
an eye on this space now that XE has arrived in Japan’s shores.
It is however most important to keep an eye on hospitalisations, especially severe cases.
Tokyo’s hospitals stand at 27.6% of standard covid beds in use, that’s 1,993 patients
admitted into hospital in Tokyo.
An increase in the capital compared to last week’s update.
However, in terms of severe patients there are 19, meaning, 3.7% of beds set aside for
severe patients in Tokyo are in use.
This is actually a decrease compared to last week.
Nationwide, Japan reported 55,294 new infections, an increase compared to last weeks update
whilst Tokyo reported 6,768 cases a decrease in cases.
Team, it seems to me that the situation is quite stable even though XE has arrived and
BA.2 is every day becoming dominant.
It’s also positive to read that we don't need to be overly fearful."
and I continue hopeful that XE will be treated the same as previous Omicron variants.
I mentioned last week that it will be interesting to see how the situation unfolds, after Golden
week which is taking place between Apr 29 - May 5th.
And I continue hopeful that in the days following Golden week, we might see a tourism-based
announcement.
It seems that Japan is indeed opening up in a slow and stealthy way, Japan has indeed
slowly increased the amount of people that can cross the border daily, with now 10,000
able to enter the country each day and has also started to make it easier for those entering
with a visa to do so.
However, Japan has now very quietly taken one further step in what seems to be her top-secret
reopening agenda by allowing entry to some family members of residents living in Japan.
Adding to its list of short-term visitors that can actually enter.
Japan has now finally broadened the scope of family members able to visit their loved
ones.
Granting visas for short term travel to a wider range of people, including:
Children, parents, siblings, grandparents and grandchildren.
Also, Family members who need to take care of a resident of Japan who is ill, is having
a baby or is in need of support in their day-to-day affairs will now be allowed entry.
“We’ve started issuing visas to families of foreign residents in Japan hoping to make
short-term visits,”...
... “We conduct visa issuance screening on a case-by-case basis, so I suggest people
contact their nearest embassy or consulate for more information.”
Said a Foreign Ministry official.
However, sadly it seems that Fiancés and partners of people in a relationship will
remain unlikely to be granted visas, the official also said.
Team, this is another great step in the right direction.
Not quite the leap that it could have been if they would have included people in relationships,
but I am however hopeful that their time will come.
It’s clear that as Japan increases the number of people that are able to enter on the daily,
so do they add more groups of people that are able to enter the country.
I continue hopeful that they will raise the entry cap, hopefully at some point before
the end of the month, and with it add some more groups of people to their list of approved
entry.
Just this week, a Chinese man became the first person to be granted a residence status that
effectively allows foreign blue-collar workers to stay in Japan indefinitely, under the Specified
Skilled Worker No. 2 status.
A policy that is intended to attract foreign workers and address the country’s severe
labour shortage.
Specified Skilled Worker No. 1, status (they could have come up with an easier name right)
Grants working rights in sectors, such as construction, farming and nursing, for up
to five years.
Could this be the next group of people allowed entry into Japan if they raise the entry cap
once again?
What do you think team?
It’s evident that Tourism is unfortunately at the back of the queue when it comes to
those who can enter Japan.
And although many groups have now been allowed entry, its important to note that even student
entry is taking its time.
With only around 30,000 students having entered and another 80,000 theoretically supposed
to be arriving before the end of May.
It’s clear that the entry cap needs to be raised once again or completely removed if
they are to continue adding to the groups of people that can enter Japan with a Visa.
Think positively, the fact is that as more groups enter Japan, the Tourist group take
a step closer to the front of the line!
the question is how long is the queue?
Tourists continue locked out of Japan, however Japanese travel agency JTB Corp. and other
travel agencies have announced that they will start selling package tours to Hawaii, for
departures as early as April 28.
JTB said it made the decision to resume such tours following an inspection tour by the
Japan Association of Travel Agents to Hawaii earlier this month.
“We hope the number of visitors (from Japan) to Hawaii will fully recover in 2023 to 1.5
million a year, the same level as 2019.”
Said the JTB chairman and head of the association.
Team, it’s true that it seems that Japan has no specific immediate plan to open up
for tourism.
Even Kishida was quoted recently as saying that
"No specific schedule has been decided,"
However, truly what is the difference between a Japanese national leaving the country for
tourism and then returning and a foreign tourist from abroad entering the country?
The fact that entry is still capped at 10,000, doesn’t bode well for foreigners who want
to enter Japan with a visa if Japanese nationals are now also going to be enticed to leave
the country for short tourism visits.
I’m positively hoping that the restart of Japanese outbound tourism will lead to the
eventual restart of inbound tourism.
This is surely a space I will be paying close attention to.
What are your thoughts on this team?
The fact that Japanese can leave and enter the country as tourists, yet foreigners are
treated differently?
Is it unfair or, justified, do you agree with it?
or do you have something else to say about this?
This is one I am very interested in hearing your opinion about!
Anyway team I repeat what I said in the last update because its important that if you are
a prospective tourist, I recommend that you make sure any plans made can be cancelled
last minute.
Set yourself a cut off date where you will make a decision whether or not your trip will
continue, and make sure that all hotels and flights can either be cancelled or moved to
another date.
I know its frustrating to be in the situation where Japan is closed to tourists, however
I continue to be optimistic that Tourism will return before the end of the year, and I hope
that my updates can bring some sort of comfort whilst you wait.
In the meantime, make sure you check out the discord server if you are interested in a
friendly and likeminded community where you can ask questions or help others too!
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Patreon is a great way to support and even get early access to my videos depending on
the membership level!
So.. that’s all for now,
Stay positive team!
(but covid negative) Till next time, I’ll continue researching and keeping an eye on
all updates until the next video!
So.. till then, Arigatou, gracias, thanks bye!
In the meantime have you watched one of these? Check them out!