Japan will once more accept foreign visitors after the COVID pandemic closed its borders for more than two years. As of October 11, travelers will not need a visa or go via a travel agency to enter the country. The daily arrival cap will also be eliminated. The daily arrival cap will also be eliminated. Visitors must show documentation of their triple vaccination to attend, or a negative COVID test result. The anticipated rise in visitors will help the government and regional businesses, and it will also coincide with the Japanese yen’s slowest slide against the US dollar in six months. Mr. Kishida revealed a domestic reward scheme for travel that provides price breaks on tickets for sporting events, concerts, amusement parks, and more. Japanese nationals and residents will be eligible for a grant worth 11,000 yen (£69; $77). Other countries have implemented comparable programs to encourage consumption and strengthen the economy.

But just like everywhere else, the residents have been very concerned about the rising cost of living. The third-largest economy in the world was one of the last Asian superpowers to keep its borders closed due to COVID health worries. In Japan, lockdowns and the wearing of masks were never mandated, yet many people readily embraced safety precautions.