Japan Restricts Entry From China, Hong Kong, and Macao Beginning December 30

Effective December 30, 2022, Japan will limit entries from China or individuals who have visited China during the preceding week.

If the traveler tests positive, an on-arrival PCR-RT test and a one-week quarantine will be administered. Japan will also limit Chinese, Hong Kong, and Macau flights to the four airports of Narita, Haneda, Kaneda, and Chubu.

China is seeing its first nationwide Covid rise since the removal of internal restrictions earlier this month. The nation said Tuesday that from January 8, 2023, it would no longer quarantine anyone entering China.

Beginning on December 30, 2022, for people entering Japan from China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau). After 30 December 2022 at midnight JST, the new measures will apply to:

• Anyone who has stayed in China (except Hong Kong and Macau) within seven days of their arrival.
• Everyone arriving in Japan by direct aircraft from China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau).
• The new regulations will apply to passengers who board an aircraft with an anticipated arrival time after midnight JST on December 30, 2022.

While tourists have started to return to Japan in recent months, Chinese numbers have remained negligible compared to pre-pandemic levels, when they were the biggest group. In November, around 21,000 Chinese mainlanders landed in Japan, a fraction of the 750,000 tourists in November 2019. In October, Japan reopened its borders.