Tokyo August 2021

[Julie Amber]

I'm sure tempted by this trip, but I see no sign that Japan is going to open up for outside visitors by then. Any thoughts? I've been watching the opening of Japan pretty closely and I don't see any movement at all. Am I missing something?

 

[Mathmagicland]

I'm sure tempted by this trip, but I see no sign that Japan is going to open up for outside visitors by then. Any thoughts? I've been watching the opening of Japan pretty closely and I don't see any movement at all. Am I missing something?

The AbD start date is the last day of the postponed 2020 Olympics. I’ve seen a few articles where the Japan Olympics committee still wants the games to happen, while some citizen surveys seem to show Japanese residents mostly oppose the games happening.

Last I saw, the games would happen but no foreign spectators would be allowed to attend. This post by the Tokyo Olympics committee says no overseas visitors will be permitted to enter Japan during the Olympics & Para-Olympics. Based on this, i can’t see where the August Japan AbD would be able to happen.

https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/en/...r-the-olympic-and-paralympic-games-tokyo-2020

 

[Karin1984]

This opinion piece on the vaccination problems might give some insights. 4% of the population is vaccinated, 80% of the people does not want the olympics to take place. Some politicians are suggesting the state of emergency should be extended till 20 June instead of end on 31 May.

Even if travel to Japan is possible within 3 months for tourists, you can expect loads of measures and adjustments.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/05/04/why-is-japan-failing-so-badly-vaccinations/

 

[wishing4PA]

I don't think it can happen. On one of the Japanese travel podcasts I listen to, the speakers seemed skeptical that it would even open by December. I agree with those prior posters ... the vaccination rate is low, they even cut back on how many people could travel with athletes to the Olympics (assuming they happen at all), towns that were supposed to host athletes prior to the games have backed out.
So that's why I'm trying to decide on someplace else to use the air vouchers from my cancelled 2020 Japan trip. Would love to just go to Japan, but I have zero confidence it'll be open this summer, and only the barest hope it'll open by December.
ETA: I was going to go independently, not with ABD, but that seems irrelevant to whether Japan will let you in. Country of origin could be relevant, maybe vaccination status, but I've heard nothing optimistic.
ETA (2nd): Coincidentally, I was watching NHK World Japan just now, and they just said "Officials aim to inoculate the country's 36 million seniors by the end of July." (Quoted from NHK's website b/c I was not really paying attention to the TV and wanted to make sure it was what I thought I'd heard.)

 

[AquaDame]

We had originally planned to spend my January birthday in Hokkaido but I agree that it was just too up in the air as to when tourists will be welcome and how much would be open... we decided to switch gears entirely and are headed to the Galapagos instead. Mostly empty nature + boat with a max 20 guests feels more likely to go.

 

[MKMK]

We are booked on the August 8th trip... final payment due soon. ABD will likely need to cancel given the State Department Level 4: Do Not Travel announcement today.

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/japan-olympics-us-covid-travel-advisory/index.html

 

[DJJimmy9]

I’m nervous about our ABD to Japan in August of 2022. I am sorry to say that I would bet the house that August, 2021 does not happen.

 

[DJJimmy9]

I see that the ABD website no longer lists any Japan trips in 2021. The earliest one offered is April, 2022. It also looks like many Japan 2022 trips are now "waitlist only" so I can only assume that many 2021 trips were simply moved to 2022. Has anyone with 2021 trips been contacted and have you rebooked? Just curious.

 

[scottmel]

I booked with another group for May 2022. I even got my airfare last week! (THank you CHASE points....first class for 3 of us was 222 dollars total! ). Fingers crossed for May!