Japan’s borders are closed to tourists, allowing only business travelers, foreign students and academics to newly enter the country. But as the number of daily arrivals recently increased to 10,000, the government is now slowly — and quietly — allowing short-term visits by parents of foreign residents in Japan.
Aside from business travelers and foreign students, new entries allowed under “special exceptional circumstances” have been limited to: foreign residents; spouses and children of a Japanese national or permanent resident; and spouses and children of a foreign resident coming to Japan to be reunited with family members living in the country.
But now, Japan has begun granting visas to a wider range of people, including: