Japan to Demand Foreign Tourists Wear Face Masks

Tokyo, June 7 (Jiji Press)--The Japan Tourism Agency on Tuesday released guidelines for the tourism industry to welcome foreign tourists, demanding travel agencies ask tour participants to wear face masks and have medical insurance policies, and obtain their consent for the measures. The guidelines note that tourists refusing to follow the measures may be denied the opportunity of participating in tours to Japan. The government agency compiled the guidelines as Japan is slated to resume the acceptance of tourists from abroad on Friday, after a pandemic-induced hiatus. For the time being, only those on escorted package tours from areas where COVID-19 infection risks are low will be allowed into the country. Under the guidelines, travel agencies and others are asked to hold training for tour conductors who will give tour participants explanations, including about the necessity of wearing face masks, at the beginning of tours. The guidelines also demand keeping activity records of tourists, including where they sat on transportation facilities. If tour participants test positive for COVID-19, travel agencies will identify people who were close contacts, based on such records. Other tour participants will be allowed to continue with their tours. The guidelines are based on the results of trial tours to confirm whether it is possible to respond appropriately to tourists testing positive for COVID-19. At a press conference on Tuesday, tourism minister Tetsuo Saito said the guidelines being fully understood and observed "will lead to the smooth restart of tourism to Japan and an expansion later of the acceptance" of foreign tourists. END