Despite this, a gradual reopening of Japan’s borders remains in process. Japan will reopen borders for all foreign visitors with permits to stay in the country for some time, including students and business people, but excluding tourists, from October, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said Friday, in a major easing of entry restrictions imposed to tackle the coronavirus pandemic. The key question at this point is whether there’s the appetite for it. The Japan Post announced that it will suspend EMS and airmail addressed to the United States, starting April 24, 2020. Update on Shipping During the Covid-19 Situation (June 30, 2020), Update on Shipping During the Covid-19 Situation (June 18, 2020), Update on Shipping During the Covid-19 Situation (June 13, 2020), Update on Shipping During the Covid-19 Situation (May 28, 2020). Small packet Airmail shipping has been reinstated by Japan Post effective immediately. I am hoping by then that tourists will be allow in by producing a negative COVID test and/or proof of vaccination. Businesspeople and students from 10 countries including China, Australia, Brunei, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam with which Japan has a special scheme to ease travel restrictions, will not be affected by the suspension. Note that there still may be … Required fields are marked *, https://www.travelcaffeine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/orange-sunset-himeji-castle-japan-bricker.jpg, https://www.travelcaffeine.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/logo.jpg. However, most major department stores will close from about 6PM on December 31st through January 1st and will re-open with regular business hours from January 2nd. Both Airmail and EMS are available from July 1. Only ~4 million international travelers have visited Japan last year. So I definitely hope Japan will take partners of Japanese citizens in consideration if there’s to be a trial period for regular travelers this spring. This means that those of you who have been patiently waiting for months will likely see your parcels very soon. It is also asking for $170 billion to help schools safely reopen, helping them fund measures like improving classroom air ventilation and buying personal protective equipment. The opening ceremony is set to take place in approximately 200 days, and with the unexpected appearance of new variants of the virus Japan has strengthened entry restrictions on incoming travelers. Update Oct. 8, 2020 : Japan Post to Resume Shipping with Non-Registered Airmail to the U.S. Japan Post announced that they will resume shipping with Non-Registered Airmail as well as printed matters up to 5kg by Airmail from Oct. 9, 2020. More countries will follow soon. I hope that this year is better for that (and that a vaccination is not necessary since I don’t trust that at all), and for that matter? A better option would be planning for fall foliage season in late November 2021–our favorite time of year in Japan! When this first happened, my friends were surprised to hear that I still wanted to go, expecting the outbreak to be worse in Japan. But that could all be set to change in early 2021. At the time, official spread was low (aside from the Diamond Princess), with some speculating that Japan had purposefully avoided testing in an effort to salvage the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. By David McElhinney. However, even that’s an “if.” So many unknowns remain, a lot is still in flux, and things change on a weekly basis. The last ~11 months have seen all-time record lows with only 1,700 to 2,900 international visitors per month. There’s nothing to say Japan will reopen even by those dates, but it’s a safer bet than sakura season. To most European countries, Canada, and Asia we can use AIRMAIL and EMS through Japan Post. Foreigners, including those with residency in Japan, who have been to countries on the entry ban list within 14 days of their arrival in Japan will be turned away under current border control measures. ... As you get closer to your re-open dates, communicate with your furloughs/lay-offs more frequently. Additionally, everyone entering Japan must undergo a mandatory quarantine at a designated location and may not use public transportation for 14 days upon arrival. I now advise my clients to avoid planning travel to Japan before the fall. By David McElhinney. CANADA SHIPPING: EMS Shipping has been temporarily suspended due to logistic issues caused by Covid-19. If you’re aiming for sakura season (late March to early April 2021 in most popular spots), that’s definitely overzealous. Editor’s note: This post was last updated on Jan. 13, 2021 with new information. ... Post … Moreover, another state of emergency (if one occurs) could be the death knell for the Olympics. Your email address will not be published. Tracking codes are not available and this service is for small packets up to 2 kg gross weight. If you’d like to be notified as soon as more details are announced by Japan, subscribe to our free email newsletter. ... Japan's stock markets have been on the upswing over the last few months. This is predicated upon the country’s economy being beholden to tourism and already in the midst of a worsening recession. However, this is widely viewed as a stopgap measure, and that Japan’s travel-dependent economy will struggle until border restrictions are lifted. I was planning a visit in April 2021 but have now postponed it to July 2021 with lingering doubt that even that could be possible. Some SAL orders already in the system will be returned to sender. Suffice to say, Japan’s economic health is likewise a serious issue, and inbound tourism was previously a bright spot. Without the Tokyo Olympics in the backdrop, Japan may lose all sense of urgency for these reopening procedures. Update on Shipping During the Covid-19 Situation (April 30, 2020) Golden Week Holiday (May 2 - 6) : We cannot ship parcels out until May 7th, when Japan Post reopens after this extended national holiday. Japanese government leaders indicate that the new health safety measures for international tourists will remain in place during and after the Tokyo Summer Olympics as Japan attempts to take incremental and deliberate steps towards reviving Japan’s battered tourism industry. Please keep checking back for updates. Coronavirus has us frozen in place for the most part and dreaming of when we can start booking travel again. I hope that airlines lower fares to that end, otherwise they’re going to lose more money and business than they already have. Effective April 3, the USPS will not accept mail addressed to these twenty-two affected countries. (We see the irony in our complaint here.). Japan Post has not announced when they will resume the acceptance of international mail from the affected countries. What I know from my contacts is that there is no domestic constituency pushing for a reopening outside of the hospitality/travel industry. Update on Shipping During the Covid-19 Situation (April 21, 2020). Delivery times are not certain since this change is new, but our local post office believes it will take longer than pre-Covid days. The proposed health safety measures aim to cover the three steps of a tourist’s “journey” to Japan from arrival to stay to departure. Nevertheless, if the system is still being built and ready to implemented, there’s no reason it couldn’t roll out on a trial basis in April 2021. Of course, it’s not just about Japan scaling up testing or “needing” more tourists. Japan post are more definitely shipping internationally. On January 2, 2021, Japan’s government announced that it will consider whether to declare another state of emergency. Japan's postal service is suspending mail to the US as of Friday, April 24, 2020 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, and the USPS put "air to sea diversion" in effect. Thank you for the insightful article! Even as the state of emergency currently in place will be extended beyond May 6, the Japanese government must continue planning for reopening the country. We are looking to have this set up by the weekend! It had over 400,000 employees and ran 24,700 post offices throughout Japan and … Package Delivery Couriers (Takyubin) Will vary by the company. (Updated January 2, 2021.). The Health Center will likely be established in Tokyo, which makes sense as both the capital and the host city for the Summer Olympics. These plans were abandoned at the last minute, and we stayed in the United States. News on International Mail and EMS are shown here. This brings us to the next update, which is that last week Japan suspended new entry into the country of nonresident foreign nationals from around the world. Update on Shipping During the Covid-19 Situation (March 30, 2020), Update on Shipping During the Covid-19 Situation (March 29, 2020), we will not issue refunds for late deliveries. Instead, they’ll be required to report their health status through the health management app for 14 days after entering Japan. The latest update is not a slew of bad news, and updates that jeopardize the reopening plans discussed further down the post. I hope Olympics will hold again on April or July thank God for this good news. Thank you for your extreme patience during this unique time where there was a lack of aircraft due to virtually no international tourism. . All estimated shipping times due not apply during the Covid crisis. Is Japan’s mask culture reassuring to you? Upon entering Japan, the tourist would once again be required to take a rapid PCR test. Some places we like to visit that were once serene or frequently primarily by locals are now often overrun by tourists. Are you assuaged at all by the relatively low number of cases in Japan? “Once a highly transmissible variant spreads, the number of infections could surpass 2,000 in a single day in Tokyo, eventually necessitating another state of emergency” over the virus, warned Atsuo Hamada, a professor at Tokyo Medical University. The travel bans are currently in effect indefinitely. Both posts cited flight reductions in their announcements. I am keeping my fingers crossed that we will be able to go. As a partial remedy to this, the Japanese government has attempted to revive its battered tourism industry by paying for residents to go on vacation within the country. The schools wanting to reopen must fulfill the checklist [requirements] for face-to-face teaching and health protocols,” said Nadiem Makarim on Nov. 20. I’m healthy as a horse, as a rule,so fingers crossed! China, South Korea and Japan are beginning to reopen some of their museums now that their aggressive lockdowns, quarantines and testing regimes have curtailed the spread of coronavirus (Covid-19). We appreciate your patience and understanding. (Avoid Golden Week, which is April 29 to May 5, 2021.). Instead, Japan has urged restaurants to close earlier and residents to refrain from making nonessential outings after 8 p.m. Another state of emergency would hinder athletes’ training for the Tokyo Olympics, due to start on July 23, 2021 following an unprecedented one-year postponement. We have read that most Japanese plan to be vaccinated by April, and we are not concerned about mask compliance or sanitization measures in Japan. Moreover, we are certain–based upon our extensive experiences in the country–that Japan has the resources, ingenuity, and dedication necessary to successfully bring such a system to fruition. Would you consider visiting Japan later this year, or is international travel out of the question for you until there’s a vaccine? Japan's Richest. Questions still remain about how tourism will resume, and how the aforementioned health management plan, centers, and app will work. We are hearing of some USA customers receiving goods two months after ordering. UPS will be your most reliable transport method to ensure Christmas gifts arrive in time for the holidays. Japan Post has re-opened shipping routes to two more countries: Italy and New Zealand. Reopening Japan’s borders to foreign residents was step one of their phased process. There have been no new announcements from Japan Post over the past two weeks regarding the shipping restrictions and suspensions. Japan Post (日本郵政公社, Nippon Yūsei Kōsha) was a government-owned corporation in Japan that existed from 2003 to 2007, offering postal and package delivery services, banking services, and life insurance. As such, we recommend Americans, Canadians, and Europeans take a conservative approach when choosing dates for your next trip to Japan. Very interesting post, so thank you very much, and looking for one additional piece in the equations which is the vaccine and perhaps a vaccine passport which is being considered by many countries. Once these safety measures are in place, the government plans to lift Japan’s travel ban on foreign tourists on a trial basis beginning in April 2021. level 2. The island nation, which is made up of over 1,000 islands, officially reopened to tourists of all nationalities on July 15. Japan Post has told us: napaJapan will soon be offering UPS and that will open up shipping to most countries, including the USA and Australia. With any luck, if and when Japan opens its borders to tourists again, I’ll be able to return there this year because I miss it dreadfully. Japan has contracts with three US and European pharmaceutical companies for a total of 290 million doses of their vaccines. There are reports of EMS and AIR taking 2 weeks longer than their usual estimated ship times. Ultimately, it’s important to remember that the April 2021 reopening date is very much tentative, and almost every single past target date Japan has released has ended up being postponed. Due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. Either way, we’ll keep watching the news and keep you posted if/when there are further developments about Japan reopening and allowing entry to travelers from the United States, Canada, Europe, and beyond! We are very hopeful that Japan will be open and safe. However, the country is stepping up preparations with the decision on whether to approve the vaccine expected in February. On the vaccine front, things are progressing slowly. Japan Post was a government-owned corporation in Japan, that existed from 2003–2007, offering postal and package delivery services, banking services, and life insurance. How individuals, nations and the world as a collective deal with life after COVID-19 will be one of the most intriguing social experiments in human history. We will definitely let you know when certain shipping routes are reopened. We appreciate your understanding and patience. Update on Shipping During the Covid-19 Situation (May 21, 2020), Update on Shipping During the Covid-19 Situation (May 15, 2020). Several international postal services have notified the USPS that they are currently unable to accept or deliver mail originating from The United States. Japan never enacted a stringent lockdown and the state of emergency was lifted after a couple months. But AIRMAIL will save you a lot of money when comparing to UPS. There are a lot of factors that have to come together to make these sailings happen but one thing's for sure. 9. share. We will let you know as soon as we receive any of these parcels and we will discuss your options through email correspondence. We are located in Sapporo so it takes about 2 business days for your order to get to Tokyo via a partner carrier. Boosting tourism was core to Prime Minister Abe’s economic revitalization, and new Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has indicated intent to maintain continuity with those economic plans. We are seeing major delays in delivery to Canada via Japan Post/Canada Post and we appreciate your patience. You also can choose Small Parcel Airmail but tracking is not available for this service. There have been no new announcements from Japan Post over the past two weeks regarding the shipping restrictions and suspensions. The latest update is not a slew of bad news, and updates that jeopardize the reopening plans discussed further down the post. In terms of current travel advisories, Japan has imposed entry bans on 152 countries including the United States, Canada, all of Europe (including the United Kingdom), and most of Asia. Prior to all of the above updates, Japan unveiled a plan to roll out countermeasures and a travel program set up for international tourists by January 2021. Japan said Friday it has agreed with Singapore and Brunei to reopen their borders for newly arriving expatriates and other long-term residents from next Wednesday and Oct. 8, respectively. In a nutshell, it’s presently impossible to visit Japan unless you are a Japanese citizen or meet one of the few exceptions. However, Japan Post will still receive and deliver any mail sent from those countries to Japan. In order for that to happen, Japan needs at least a few months of a “soft opening” to test and adjust the new system. While there have been repeated delays and missed target dates for Japan’s reopening, Spring 2021 is pretty much the deadline for getting things back on track if the Olympics are to proceed. Welcome back! I was planning a trip to Osaka last year, but for obvious reasons it fell through. Keep checking back to this space for shipping news as it applies to napaJapan. The shortage of aircraft in Tokyo is causing this massive delay. That’s probably not going to apply to anyone reading this English language blog post, so let’s turn to what the future holds…. If the new arrival tests positive after entering Japan, they will be required to take out private medical insurance (or leave). We plan to take one of the vaccines in January and still considering which one. We estimate a 10-15 business day delivery. Japan’s government still has not given regulatory approval to any of the vaccine candidates. For 3 years I’ve been planning a trip for mid to late April 2021. As of today (April 23) we can still ship to: UK, Canada, Korea, Singapore, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Finland, Malaysia. Foreign residents are allowed to reenter Japan, albeit with quarantine and testing requirements. Decreased tourism plus falling exports, an increased consumption tax, reduced consumer spending, and growing national debt. If you’re planning a trip to the Japan, check out our other posts about Japan for ideas on other things to do! As background, the Japanese central government declared a state of emergency after much hesitation. I’m still holding out hope my small family of 3 will get to go! While Japan’s reopening has occurred in fits and starts thus far, we remain optimistic that a further acceleration will occur. We originally planned on traveling to Japan for sakura season, staying for a little over one month to research and update our Ultimate Guide to Kyoto. Any questions? As a planning site with strategy for visiting Kyoto, Tokyo, and beyond, we’re closely monitoring all advisories, the latest news, and progress. Obviously, I was right in my thinking – they would be in a better position to manage the crisis. Report Save. We still cannot ship to any of the countries listed HERE via Japan Post. Japan Post continues to experience delays in handling and we appreciate your continued patience while they get through the back-log of parcels. But AIRMAIL will save you a lot of money when comparing to UPS. This pandemic really affected aircraft availability and thus created these massive delays. I’m still wishing Japan will reopen borders even slightly to people on a tourist visa in April and will definitely even buy a literal last minute ticket to go there. Thanks for the article-no new news but it’s a useful and clear-eyed recap of the way things stand right now. We cannot control these delays as the pandemic has created issues throughout the international postal system. Tracking codes are not available and this service is for small packets up to about 5 pounds (2 kg). there … In 7 years, that number more than quadrupled. *** It seems the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic is starting to affect Japan… Australia's Richest. I am hopeful that July would be doable. If you live in America or Australia we can only ship via UPS at this time. International postal items that have already been received by April 1 from the aforementioned countries will be returned to their point of origin. ... Major economies reopen but traffic still 60%: Google data. April 1st, 2020 Joaquin Ibanez. Currently we use UPS for the United States, Australia, and India. This follows a joint appeal from the governors of Tokyo, Saitama, Chiba, and Kanagawa prefectures for the central government to declare a state of emergency due to record-breaking numbers of new infections that have strained the medical system. Thanks for the update, Tom! So in other words: short-term stays may be off the cards for most of us for a while yet. We also plan on taking the vaccine when it is available. The Health Center will be set up specifically for overseas visitors to Japan as a way to take the pressure off local governments and avoid overburdening the Japanese health system. No where will the change be more apparent than in … It would be difficult to overestimate the impact COVID-19 appears to be having on the automation sector. We are planning to visit Tokyo, Disney, Kyoto, Osaka and Universal Japan. 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 When will Japan lift its travel ban and reopen for international tourists? Kyoto’s Hidden Gem Special Night Illumination, Japan’s tourism numbers were up to a record 31.9 million visitors, 1,700 to 2,900 international visitors per month, fall foliage season in late November 2021. Although it’s only a few months away, a lot could change in a relatively short amount of time–we’re at the point where there’s light at the end of the tunnel. This makes sense, as increased inbound visitation was one of the biggest success stories of “Abenomics.” The now-delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics were instrumental to these plans, with Japan’s inbound tourism target for 2020 being 40 million visitors at the start of the year. It’s also possible that Japan further accelerates these plans and moves forward the trial entry date for arrivals from select countries. We are all hoping this situation clears up soon but for now we cannot ship to the USA. Hearing your feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts or questions below in the comments! No timeline has been revealed for the general public. Your email address will not be published. This includes how to ensure the app is used, the number of tourists allowed in during the Olympics, and what limitations will be placed on tourist activities while in Japan. Any thoughts or tips of your own to add? I was planning it for Tokyo in April but have now changed it to Osaka/Kyoto in July due to the Olympics. HUGE NEWS! It was the nation's largest employer, with over 400,000 employees, and ran 24,700 post offices throughout Japan. Thanks for your patience if it takes longer. We are focusing on those countries where Japan Post has temporarily suspended service. These extreme delays cannot be helped since Japan Post has a huge back-log of parcels and they can only load so many planes per week. Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi (L) and his Singaporean counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan meet in Singapore on Aug. 13, 2020. We do ship to most provinces by UPS which comes with excellent tracking, is fast, and very efficient. So at least that’s one positive and indicator that Japan is not reverting to a total travel ban. Japan is among a small number of countries trying to find a way to restart education — under restrictions and with emergency plans to close again if covid-19 finds a foothold. At this point, the clock is ticking on the Tokyo Summer Olympics. Heavier orders with multiple items will see better value in shipping-per-item cost. This suspension will continue for the next few weeks, through late January 2021 as a precautionary step against the new, potentially more transmissible UK variant. In order to visit Japan, foreign tourists would be  required to download the health management app, and will also need to obtain a pre-departure negative test certificate. To that end, Japanese leaders have expressed a desire to balance being diligent against spread with considering how to resume international travel. This will further put delays on deliveries. The plan asks for $50 billion to invest in an enormous expansion of the COVID-19 testing infrastructure. Japan has already reported several cases of the variant, but medical experts have nonetheless encouraged stronger border control. More countries will follow soon. Many of Japan’s decisions–or lack thereof–the last several months have been driven by fear of cultural outsiders and indecisiveness. It does seem like the scales have tipped away from that in the last month, though. I've been sending packages for the past 2 weeks, although one for USA did come back when it shouldn't have. Thanks for your patience if it takes longer. I usually visit Japan twice a year for work and family and it was tough to skip that in 2020 so I certainly hope that the target dates you mention will see real change but I share your caution, since the Japanese government has been nothing if not incompetent in managing this crisis, and the relatively (by US or European standards) “good” numbers in terms of infection are to the credit of the general population, not the authorities. Fortunately the goods we offer have freshness dates that extend from mid-summer to late winter. Given the latest updates and new restrictions as of January 2021, we are skeptical about this plan. On January 2, 2021, Japan’s government announced that it will consider whether to declare another state of emergency. Last year, Japan’s tourism numbers were up to a record 31.9 million visitors. We have no control on any delays within the system. It was difficult because we likely would’ve felt safer in Japan, but the uncertainty of being in a foreign country (and potentially being stranded there) outweighed that. Shipping estimates on our … We suggest you purchase a shipping method with tracking so you have an idea of when your parcel will deliver. If you’re planning your trip to Japan, what do you think about these itineraries? Please read below in case you missed previous updates on shipping... Get news of exclusive offers and promotions first! This will be an express service that should allow delivery within a week to most areas. Temporary suspension of acceptance, delivery delays of mail items destined to various countries/territories (Updated on November 26) November 20, 2020 Resumption and temporary suspension of acceptance of mail items destined to various countries/territories (Updated on November 20… Our recommendation at this point is the beginning of May 2021 at the absolute earliest. We are planning a trip to Japan for mid to late May 2021. It’s still possible that things will worsen, or the Olympics won’t occur as planned. Elderly people will likely start getting inoculated in late March 2021, to be followed by people with underlying health conditions in April 2021. Japan has also temporarily suspended visa exemptions, making it necessary to apply for a visa prior to traveling. We still cannot ship to the USA or Australia until further notice. And even then I thought that might be over zealous but after reading this I’m a little more hopeful that we can go there at that time. Special procedures developed to expedite the safe entry of athletes from overseas ahead of the Olympics have been partially suspended as a result. Please refer to this notice for the countries affected by the suspension of the Japan Post: 【Regarding the suspension of postal services by Japan Post to certain countries and regions (Updated on 2020/11/24)】 For other countries/regions, we will inform you again on the tenso.com website as soon as there is an update from Japan Post. US … Those who test negative upon arrival to Japan will not be required to quarantine inside a hotel for 14 days. That’s obviously far short of the original 40 million forecast. The back-log of parcels in Tokyo is almost cleared up, according to Japan Post. It will just take Japan’s case numbers declining, vaccines starting to be rolled out, and trepidations easing. I certainly think their bowing/masking/caring more for others’ wellbeing culture has helped keep their case count far below ours (US). Airmail shipping to the USA has been reinstated by Japan Post.

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