New measures for border enforcement (Quarantine period for cross-border travelers and returnees who possess a COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate)

With the progress in vaccination both domestically and internationally, travelers and returnees who meet the following conditions are subject to a 10-day self-quarantine and are not required to self-quarantine for the remaining 4 days of the full 14-day self-quarantine period:

1. Not traveling from designated countries/regions that are subject to a 6- to 10-day quarantine in a facility designated by the Chief of the Quarantine Station,
2. Have a Vaccination Certificate which its validity is confirmed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA) and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan (MHLW), and

Voluntarily take a COVID test (PCR or Quantitative Antigen Test) and submit a negative test result to MHLW after the 10^th day of the 14-day period.

Beginning October 1, 2021 at 0:00 a.m. (JST), travelers and returnees traveling from the State of Washington, Montana, and Idaho are still subject to the 14-day self-quarantine, but those who have a valid Vaccination Certificate and voluntarily take a COVID test (PCR or Quantitative Antigen Test) and submit the negative test result to the MHLW after 10 days of self-quarantining after entry into Japan, are not required to self-quarantine for the remainder of the 14 days.

▶　Offical Guidance from MOFA
 

〇Start Date: October 1, 2021 at 0:00 (JST)
〇Conditions:
Must fulfill both conditions.

1. You are NOT traveling from designated countries/regions that require a 6- to 10-day quarantine in a facility designated by the Chief of the Quarantine Station (※U.S. is not one of the designated countries, so travelers and returnees traveling from the U.S. fulfill this condition).
2. You have a Vaccination Certificate that is valid according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA) and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan (MHLW) (※For details regarding a valid Vaccination Certificate, please see 2.)

A valid COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate is a Vaccination Certificate issued in Japan or a Vaccination Certificate issued outside of Japan and fulfills ALL the following conditions: (For more details, please see attached).

1. Issuing Institution
The Vaccination Certificate must be issued by an official body such as a government of any of the countries/regions listed here. Please note that the COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card issued by the CDC and the MyIRMobile, a digital Vaccination Certificate issued by the State of Washington, are VALID.

2. Required Items on the Vaccination Certificate
The following items described below shall be stated/indicated on the certificate either in Japanese or English. (*Note 1)
▶　Full name
▶　Date of birth
▶ Product name or manufacturer of vaccine(s)
▶ Vaccination date
▶ Number of COVID-19 vaccine doses

3. Type of Vaccine
One of the following vaccine names or manufacturers is indicated on the certificate. (**Note 2)
▶ COMIRNATY/ Pfizer
▶ Vaxzevria/ AstraZeneca (***Note 3)
▶ COVID-19 Vaccine Moderna/ Moderna

4. Number of COVID-19 vaccine doses
Must indicate that you have received two or more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

5. Duration after the second vaccine.
Must indicate that 14 days or more have passed since you received your second dose at the time of entering/returning to Japan.
 
(*Note 1) If the Vaccination Certificate is not in Japanese or English, please attach a full and accurate Japanese or English translation.
(**Note 2) If you have been vaccinated with more than one type of COVID-19 vaccine, it will approved if you have received two or more doses and 14 days or more have passed since your second dose.
(***Note 3) Covishield, a vaccine licensed by AstraZeneca and produced by Serum Institute of India, is currently not approved as a valid vaccine by the MHLW but is in the process of being examined for its validity by early October 2021.