Japan reopening may happen this autumn as the country will host the Tourism Expo Japan 2022 in September. However, the nation’s upcoming reopening remains hanging in a balance.

A panel consisted of Tomohiro Kaneko, vice-commissioner, Japan Tourism Agency; Makoto Watanabe, executive director, Japan National Tourism Organisation – Manila Office; Tadashi Shimura, president, Japan Association of Travel Agents; Hiroyuki Takahashi, chairperson, JTB Corporation; and Shinji Shiota, tourism planning manager, Japan Airlines Co. Ltd. Held a press conference at the recently-concluded 21st World Travel & Tourism Council Global Summit where they gave an update on Japan’s tourism.

Japan is preparing for inbound tourism, which partially reopened to students and business travellers. It also lifted Friday its entry ban on non-resident foreign nationals from 106 countries including Britain, India and the United States.

The group remained tight-lipped on the actual date of Japan’s reopening stressing that the government is considering the rate of infection domestic and overseas.

However, the panel is positive that the tourism sector will recover as Japan remains the leading country foreign travellers want to visit post-pandemic.

“We will come back strong,” says Mr. Kaneko on the future reopening.

He also said that the agency is keen in introducing and promoting other areas, especially rural Japan like Hokkaido in the north and Kyushu in the south. He added that the government will extend financial support to develop high-level accommodations and provide tourist assistance in these high-value added tourism areas.

Mr. Takahashi also promoted the upcoming Tourism EXPO Japan 2022 happening in September, which aims to bring together business and consumers that “leads the world’s travel and tourism industry”. A reliable source also said that Japan will reopen in time for the said EXPO to accommodate the travellers for the trade show.

Until then, hold your horses for the official announcement of Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.