Japan Travel Ban

Mr. Tomita,

As I am sure you already know on November 30, 2021 Japan imposed a new border ban for the new entry of foreign nationals. While this is something that I am certain was done as a precautionary measure the lives of many students, workers and loved ones were once again devastated.

I would draw your attention to the hashtag #japantravelban on Twitter and see the stories of some of the people who have lost everything in preparation to move to Japan.

People who were flying out in weeks from the time of the travel ban had put in notice at work, had given up their apartment and sold most of their belongings only to find out that they were now, homeless, jobless and had no livelihood. People are sleeping on friends couches, or living with parents or even a few sleeping in their cars.

This is unacceptable. The ones who were in the process of receiving their screening certificates should have never been locked out of the country in the first place as they had given up everything already.

The first thing that we ask is that all people who were in the "screening certificate" process, are allowed to enter Japan when the border ban is reviewed.

The second thing we ask is that there be no entry dates when cross-border travel resumes. Those people who have been waiting to enter the country, regardless of COE date issuance, should not have to wait. Thousands of people, both workers and students, are on deadlines that cannot wait any longer. It seems to us the staggering of entry is arbitrary as most people have already entered or have moved on to other prospects. It is unfair that athletes and celebrities be allowed in and yet those of us locked out of the country for years now, who want to contribute to Japan, are forced to jump through multiple hoops.

The final thing we ask is that the SCIENCE is listened to. The World Health Organization stated on November 29th: "Blanket travel bans will not prevent the international spread, and they place a heavy burden on lives and livelihoods."

There is no scientific evidence that travel bans ease Covid19 or the Omicron variant. We ask that leaders look at the science and not prepare for what Kishida terms "the worst case scenario."

We ask why the original parameters put in place are not strong enough for those of us with visas to enter? Science has proven that tracing the virus and quarantine of the infected is the best thing that any country can do. Japan had streamlined these processes before the travel ban. We ask why hundreds of thousands of us are locked out while Japanese citizens can leave the country on non-emergency travel and come back in? There is no scientific reason this would stop the Omicron variant or any other virus. As the WHO has said about blanket travel bands and banning flights for everyone but the countries own citizens: "Epidemiologically, I find it hard to understand the principle there. Is it that some passport holders will have the virus and some won’t? Does the virus read your passport? Does the virus know your nationality or where you are legally resident?"

If we continue to live in fear both the people stranded outside of Japan and Japan itself will suffer. Businesses that cater to tourists in cities like Osaka and Kyoto are closing. Small businesses are barely keeping afloat. Not to mention the hundreds of thousands of students who are paying for the experience of living in Japan and instead facing classes at all hours of the night with no reimbursement for the money they have paid in.

This cannot continue Mr. Tomita. I ask, no I beg of you, to listen to the outcry of those of us who are hurting because of a rash decision without any scientific base. I ask that you petition the Prime Minister on our behalf and make him realize that the measures put in place are hurting everyone. All we are asking for what we've been asking for all along. To be able to enter into Japan in the safest way possible to ensure that both ourselves and the citizens of Japan are protected.