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COVID-19

Health and travel alert for U.S. citizens.

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FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION FROM THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION (CDC), VISIT CORONAVIRUS.GOV

The Department of State advises U.S. citizens to avoid all international travel due to the global impact of COVID-19. In countries where commercial departure options remain available, such as in Japan, U.S. citizens who live in the United States should arrange for immediate return to the United States, unless they are prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period. U.S. citizens who live in Japan should avoid all international travel. The U.S. government does not anticipate staging repatriation flights from Japan. The CDC also recommends that travelers avoid all nonessential international travel.

Country-Specific Information:

  • The Government of Japan has continued to relax restrictions related to COVID-19. As of May 25, the state of emergency was lifted for all prefectures in the country. On June 19, the government relaxed its recommendation against non-essential cross-prefectural travel.
  • The Prime Minister has reiterated his call for citizens to reduce people-to-people contact, with a focus on avoiding the “three Cs:” closed spaces, crowded spaces, and close-contact settings.
  • U.S. Mission Japan personnel continue to follow practices recommended by the U.S. and Japanese Governments for promoting social distancing.
  • Japanese immigration officials have: extended the period of application for certain types of visa extensions and residency applications; increased the waiting time for decisions in certain cases; extended visa validity for visitors whose period of stay expired in March through July; and, have announced new measures to reduce congestion in waiting rooms. More information can be found online here.
  • On May 1, the Embassy’s Chargé d’Affaires recorded a video to U.S. citizens on social distancing guidelines. Click here to watch the video.
  • The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo continues to closely monitor developments related to COVID-19 in Japan and will update this webpage with additional information as it becomes available.
  • We strongly encourage all U.S. citizens to comply with measures announced by local authorities, including limiting personal outings, avoiding crowded spaces, and maintaining at least six feet of distance between yourself and others.

Entry and Exit Requirements:

  • Non-Japanese citizens who leave Japan, even U.S. citizen legal residents, will not be able to return under current conditions.
  • The Government of Japan published information regarding limited exceptions to the entry restrictions, which can be found online here.
  • U.S. residents who believe they may qualify for one of these exemptions are strongly advised to consult with Japanese Immigration authorities prior to departing Japan.
  • The Government of Japan has designated COVID-19 as a “Designated Infectious Disease” and placed entry restrictions on foreign visitors, including on foreigners traveling from the United States. Please visit the Japan National Tourism Organization website for detailed information on entry restrictions currently in place.
  • For detailed information on countries with entry or activity restrictions for travelers coming from Japan, please see this online site (Japanese only).
  • International flights are currently available in Japan, but service has been drastically reduced compared with the pre-COVID-19 period. Direct flights between the United States and Japan are currently only available from Tokyo’s Narita and Haneda airports. The U.S. government does not anticipate staging repatriation flights in Japan. U.S. citizens who reside abroad should avoid all international travel. As a reminder, non-Japanese citizens who leave Japan, even U.S. citizen legal residents, will not be able to return under current restrictions.

American Citizen Services and Visa Services:

The U.S. Department of State has temporarily suspended processing of routine visa services. These services remain suspended throughout Japan at this time despite the lifting of the state of emergency.

Appointments for routine passport and citizenship services continue to be very limited. For specific information please check our website and contact the Embassy or consulate nearest you for assistance.

Resources in Japan

Below are sources of local COVID-19 information in English. U.S. citizens should closely monitor trusted local news sources and local authorities’ communications for updates and information.

This list is not exhaustive:

The Japan National Tourism Organization maintains up-to-date information on screening and quarantine measures for travelers. It also operates a 24/7 visitor hotline, available in English. To call from Japan: 050-3816-2787; from overseas: +81-50-3816-2787.

The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare also has a 24/7 hotline at +81-3-3595-2176 with English-speaking operators, and has a Q&A on the new measures.

The Association of Medical Doctors of Asia Medical Information Center are operating a hotline to assist foreign nationals in Japan with questions about COVID-19. It is available from 10:00 to 17:00, and can be reached at 03-6233-9266. More information can be found here.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government launched a multilingual call center on COVID-19 for foreign residents. They can be reached by phone from 10:00 to 17:00, Monday through Friday, at 0120-296-004. Callers should note that the initial recording is in Japanese, but if you hold the line you can be assisted in English.

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has a dedicated page on COVID-19.

The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) has a dedicated COVID-19 page with additional information, including information on how to seek medical care in Japan. JNTO also operates a 24-hour hotline for visitors.

If you are currently in Japan and believe that you may have symptoms of COVID-19, please call JNTO’s hotline at 050-3816-2787.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government published a chart on what to do if you’re worried you might be infected with COVID-19: (English) (Japanese)

Other links:

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This is the official website of the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Japan. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.

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