Japan seeks vaccine passports accepted by more than 10 countries

[ad_1]

Japan is making arrangements to accept passports for vaccinations against the novel coronavirus by more than 10 countries, including Italy, France and Greece, after the certification program began in late July, government sources said on Sunday.

The sources said that if agreements are reached, certificate holders will be exempted from being quarantined or showing negative COVID-19 test results when traveling from Japan to those countries.

But the Japanese government plans to continue requiring travelers entering Japan, including returnees, to self-quarantine for two weeks even if they have been vaccinated. The sources said that this position held negotiations with countries such as Singapore and Israel, which called for mutual exemptions.

So-called vaccine passports are official documents that show that a person has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The certificate, which will be issued by the municipalities, will include the holder’s name, passport number and date of vaccination.

Business circles in Japan have called for the introduction of vaccine passports. The country’s largest lobbying group, the Japan Business Federation, better known as Keidanren, proposed in late June that these certifications be in digital form.

Japan has lagged behind the United States, Britain and Israel, among other countries, in rolling out COVID-19 vaccines. However, it has intensified its efforts to vaccinate citizens ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, which begin on July 23.

A semi-emergency has been put in place in urban areas such as Tokyo amid fears of the spread of the highly contagious delta type of coronavirus.

“Until we see the delta-type spread fade away, it will be difficult to allow mutual exemption from quarantine,” a Japanese government source said.

Japan is imposing a blanket ban on the entry of foreign nationals to tackle the epidemic, except for those who have obtained approval under “special exceptional circumstances”. Travelers entering Japan are required to stay at home or in a designated facility for 14 days after arrival.

The European Union has a digital vaccination passport for EU citizens and residents. Certificate holders are exempt from testing and quarantine when traveling to a different country within the bloc.

The World Health Organization does not support making vaccine passports mandatory for travelers as equal access to COVID-19 vaccines has not been guaranteed.

In a time of misinformation and so much information, good journalism is more important than ever, and by subscribing, you can help us get the story right.

subscribe now

Photo gallery (click to enlarge)

.

[ad_2]