It has been a question that many are asking: When is Japan reopening to the world?
The answer could be as soon as June, if going by the latest media reports from Japan.
Countries open to tourists without Covid restrictions
A growing list of destinations in Asia Pacific are abolishing pandemic restrictions for for entry. See our list of the countries around the world that visitors can travel to without Covid tests
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, during a press conference in London on 5 May, gave a clear hint that Japan would ease restrictions in June to align the country's entry requirements with other G7 nations.
Besides Japan, all other G7 nations including Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US are now open to tourists.
The Japanese government is set to make a final decision on lifting the ban on tourist visas in two weeks, when the number of infections during the recent Golden Week will be known, reported Nikkei Asia.
According to same report, the Japanese government is mulling options to reopen inbound tourism beginning with group tours handled by travel agencies.
The daily entry quota on foreign arrivals is likely to be revised from the current 10,000 to 20,000. Currently, only businesspeople, technical interns and students are permitted into Japan, while foreign tourists are still not allowed in.
Japan is also said to be considering accepting tourists from the US, Europe, and Asia under certain conditions, such as imposing a limit on the number of arrivals from these countries.