Japan to let in foreign tourists, but only if masked and accompanied by chaperone

Visitors from select countries will be allowed to return to Japan from Friday but will only be allowed to travel under strict conditions

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Foreign tourists visiting Japan will be required to wear masks and spend their entire stay chaperoned by local guides, as the country prepares to open up to international travellers after two years of Covid-19 border restrictions.

People who have waited patiently for the chance to visit Japan, which imposed some of the toughest travel restrictions during the pandemic, will also have to take out private medical insurance in case they contract the virus, the government said this week.