Passports at the ready! Australians will be among the first tourists to be allowed into Japan in the coming months
- Japan considers allowing visitors from four Pacific countries including Australia
- The country has begun to lift lockdown restrictions with schools and shops open
- Travellers required to complete two negative COVID-19 tests before allowed in
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Australian tourists could soon be able to take a trip to Japan as the nation considers opening its borders to countries that have low rates of coronavirus.
On Monday in Tokyo, lockdown restrictions began to be lifted with the Japanese capital reopening sports clubs, cinemas, department stores and schools.
The country had previously closed its border to overseas travelers in February to stem the spread of COVID-19.
Japan is now considering allowing in tourists from New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, and Vietnam over the next few months.
Australian tourists could soon be able to take a trip to Japan as the nation considers opening its borders to countries that have low rates of coronavirus
On Monday in Tokyo, lockdown restrictions began to be lifted with the Japanese capital reopening sports clubs, cinemas, department stores and schools
Local newspaper The Asahi Shimbun reported on June 1 that business passengers would be allowed in first.
The passengers would also have to complete two negative COVID-19 tests - one before they leave their country and one after arriving in Japan.
Government officials from Japan would negotiate with the governments of the four countries and ask for reciprocal arrangements for Japanese travellers, the publication said.
Once in the country visitors would need to restrict travel to their accommodation and workplaces and public transport would not be allowed.
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Southeast Asia accounts for about 4.4 per cent of worldwide COVID-19 cases, far less than in Europe or the Americas.
Japan has had 16,930 cases of coronavirus since January with 894 of them deadly and 14,650 having recovered.
The world's fourth largest economy implemented a state of emergency in some areas on April 7 because of the growing coronavirus pandemic and the measures appear to have worked with the number of cases rapidly declining.
Australia is a member of the trans-Pacific Partnership with Japan, New Zealand, Vietnam, and Thailand and has strong tourism and trade ties with each.
Once in the country visitors would need to restrict travel to their accommodation and workplaces and public transport would not be allowed
