Japan Begins to Issue Vaccine Passports – Restarting Cross-border Travel

In July this year, Japan, like some other nations, began issuing vaccine passports for citizens who had to travel abroad. When launched, such vaccine passports were issued by local governments and were paper-based though there have been calls for it to be in a digital format as seen in the European Union. The country is in the process of negotiating with other nations regarding them accepting this document which certifies a person has received the COVID-19 vaccination. It’s amongst the measures that are key to kick-starting global tourism and business travel.

Significantly, the vaccine rollout in Japan has been gathering momentum with 50% of the population vaccinated as of the 15^th of September 2021. Additionally, aspects such as accommodation have come under strict health protocols that apply not only to properties in the capital but also in popular destinations like Otaru; hotel options to be found here including Grand Park Otaru adhere to the stringent guidelines of the World Health Organisation and local health authorities to ensure safe stays.