After years of tight COVID restrictions, Japan’s borders will open to the world from 11 October 2022. The country is dropping all entry requirements, allowing foreign tourists to once again travel freely to Japan. This means no pre-departure or on-arrival COVID testing, no quarantine, no visas, and you don’t need to book through a travel agent. Japan’s cap on arrivals has been scrapped, too – so the country will be well and truly open for business.
Prior to the pandemic, Japan steadily climbed the ranks as a top overseas destination for Aussies, joining popular tourist hotspots Thailand, Indonesia and New Zealand. In fact, in 2019 Japan was the seventh most visited country by Australians.
So what does Japan’s border opening mean for Australian travellers? Read on for everything you need to know.
Travel to Japan from Australia
Japan’s border opening is a welcome relief for those looking to explore this stunning nation independently. Recent restrictions saw a cap on arrivals, and travellers were required to be part of a group tour organised through a travel agent and hold a visa to enter the country.
From 11 October 2022, Australian passport holders can enter Japan without a visa. There are also no COVID testing or quarantine requirements, and visitors don’t need to book a tour package through a travel agent. This means that flights, hotels and activities can be organised independently.
Japan’s heavy restrictions also saw the Japanese Yen drop to its lowest in over 20 years. For Australians, this means that a trip to Japan is more affordable than ever.
And with several airlines offering direct flights from Australia to Japan, this popular destination is now back on the cards for Aussies.
How Australians can take advantage of Japan’s border opening
Japan has lots to offer tourists including pristine natural scenery, a world-class selection of food, amusement parks for families, and activities to do throughout the year. Our guides to Japan are filled with plenty of inspiration to help you plan your Japan holiday.
So whether you’re a frequent visitor to Japan or dreaming of crossing it off your bucket list, check out some of our top ways to make the most of your trip.
Flying to Japan on points
If you’ve been saving your points for a trip to Japan, you can redeem them through a number of frequent flyer programs like Qantas Frequent Flyer and Velocity Frequent Flyer.
Here are some examples of how you can travel to Japan from Australia using points.
Flying Qantas or JAL
If you’re looking to book Qantas or JAL reward seats on flights from Australia to Japan, you can use Qantas Points.
Using Qantas Points
The number of Qantas Points needed to fly Qantas or JAL is shown below.
 using  Qantas Points | Economy | Business |
| Brisbane to Tokyo (Haneda) | 25,200 | 64,800 |
| Sydney/Melbourne to Tokyo (Haneda) | 31,500 | 82,000 |
 using Qantas Points | Economy | Premium Economy | Business |
| Sydney/Melbourne to Tokyo (Haneda/Narita) | 37,800 | 70,800 | 90,000 |
Flying Singapore Airlines
When looking to redeem Singapore Airlines reward seats on flights to Japan, you can use either Velocity Points or KrisFlyer miles.
Using Velocity Points
The number of Velocity Points needed to fly Singapore Airlines is shown below.
 (one-way)using  Velocity Points | Economy | Premium Economy | Business |
| Sydney/Melbourne/Brisbane to Tokyo (Haneda) (via Singapore) | 50,000 | 75,000 | 92,000 |
Using KrisFlyer miles
The number of KrisFlyer miles needed to fly Singapore Airlines is shown below.
| (one-way) using  KrisFlyer miles | Economy | Premium Economy | Business |
| Sydney/Melbourne/Brisbane to Tokyo (Haneda) (via Singapore) | 45,000 | 77,000 | 100,500 |
Not a member of a frequent flyer program? You can join today to begin earning points when you fly to Japan!
Hotels in Japan
There’s no shortage of accommodation in Japan, and members of hotel loyalty programs in Australia have plenty of options to choose from.
And if you’re not currently a member of a hotel loyalty program, it’s not too late to join and start earning rewards on your upcoming stays in Japan. Depending on your membership status, you could enjoy extra perks like a room upgrade, late check-out or daily breakfast.
Browse some of the most popular hotel loyalty programs below, all with dozens of properties throughout Japan.
- IHG One Rewards encompasses brands like Intercontinental, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn with hotels in Tokyo, Osaka, Kobe, Sendai, Kanazawa and more.
- Accor Live Limitless includes brands like Swissôtel, Pullman and ibis Styles, with hotels in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Okinawa and more.
- Marriott Bonvoy features brands like The Ritz-Carlton, Sheraton and Fairfield, with hotels in cities such as Tokyo, Osaka, Hokkaido, Hiroshima and Mie.
- World of Hyatt encompasses brands like Park Hyatt, Grand Hyatt and Hyatt Regency, with hotels in Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, Hakone, Niseko and more.
- Hilton Honors includes brands like Hilton, Conrad and DoubleTree, with hotels in cities such as Tokyo, Osaka, Nagasaki, Naha and Odawara.
With Japan’s border opening on October 11, Australians have the option to earn and redeem points when travelling to this stunning island nation.
Summing up
To recap, here’s what Australians can expect when they travel to Japan from 11 October 2022:
- No pre-departure COVID testing if you’ve had at least three doses of a WHO-approved vaccine.
- No on-arrival testing.
- No visa requirement.
- No cap on arrivals into Japan.
- No requirement to book a tour package through a travel agent. Visitors can organise flights, accommodation and activities independently.
- No mask mandate, though it’s strongly encouraged indoors and on public transport.
Japan is ready to welcome tourists again without restrictions. The country has long been a favourite for Aussies, and there’s no better time than now to travel to Japan.
FAQs
Japan will open its borders to tourists from 11 October 2022. Tourists can enter Japan without restrictions, and there are no mandatory COVID testing or quarantine requirements.
Japan will allow Australian passport holders to enter without a visa from 11 October 2022.
From 11 October 2022, Australians can travel to Japan independently.
Does he need to be vaxed?
We’re not keen, given how his mother reacted to her vaccinations.
Can’t find anything anywhere about it.
However, and correct me if I’m wrong but I’ve had a look at the Qantas site for any FF points flights in Jan/Feb and the websites suggest 150-300k for economy (one way) and 500k + for business.
Appreciate that reward flights may have been picked through following the announcements but was surprised at the mark-up verses the points quoted in the article and Jack’s posting. NB. I also checked March / April with a similar points outcome.
Is there something I’m doing wrong? Should I be avoiding the QAN website? Is it just luck of the draw?
ANA is listed on the Virgin website as a partner but not on the Velocity website.
I’m planning a trip in August/September next year and was wondering if you have any inside knowledge as to whether this hook up is going to be resuscitated?
ANA is also a valid option and on star alliance flying the Boeing 789 between Sydney and Haneda. They’re among the best service offerings along with JAL but have a 3-3-3 configuration instead of 2-4-2 that JAL has.
Also probably should mention that flight prices are very high for Japan are high for the upcoming holiday season. In fact over the December holiday period I’ve never seen direct flights from Aus go past the $3500 return (economy) range before. On some days its almost $5000 return.
We also have less flight capacity operating direct to Japan right now than pre pandemic (QF operating less flights and the 747 SYDHND has become A333.