The Korean government has announced that the businesspeople from South Korea to Japan are exempted from a two-week quarantine if they test negative for COVID-19 starting October 8, 2020.
The special entry procedure, comes about seven months after Tokyo slapped entry restrictions on Seoul in early March to stem the spread of the COVID-19.
Fresh talks began in late July between the two countries about easing the entry curbs out of concerns that maintaining strict border controls would further weigh on the economies.
Under the eased entry program, businesspeople planning a short-term stay of up to 90 days in Japan will be exempt from mandatory two-week quarantine if they show proof of a negative coronavirus test result from the past 72 hours and a written document explaining the travel plan.
Their travel in Japan will be limited to areas near their work.
Business Track’ applies to short-term business travelers, and if he/she complies with the additional quarantine requirements then one can carry out business activities without quarantine after entering Japan
Details
| Business Track |
Eligibility | o Korean citizens and foreign nationals in Korea/Japan Applicable in the following cases: – (Short-term) Short-term stay for business purposes – (Long-term)* ① Business Manager Visa ② Intra-company Transferee Visa ③ Highly Skilled Professional Visa ④ Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services Visa ⑤ Nursing Care Visa (Medical Services visa) *reference ⑥ Specified Skilled Worker Visa ⑦ Technical Intern Training Visa ⑧ Designated Activities Visa (applicable only in the case of the establishment of a company) – Diplomacy and public affairs * Intended mainly for short-term business travelers / also applicable to individuals re-entering the country who are eligible for long-term stay |
Apply for a Visa at the Embassy of Japan in Korea, etc. | Documents to submit o A copy of a written oath (drawn up by the inviting company in Japan) o A copy of an activity plan in Japan (drawn up by the inviting company in Japan) |
Before departure | o Monitor health conditions daily starting from 14 days prior to departure (body temperature measurement) o Test for coronavirus (COVID-19) 72 hours prior to departure (refer to attached form) o Buy a private health insurance plan (such as travel insurance) * *Not required for those already insured by Japan’s national health insurance (Japanese National Health Insurance or Employees’ Health Insurance |
Upon arrival in Japan | o Test for COVID-19 at the airport o Install mobile applications such as COVID-19 contact tracing apps o Documents to submit a) COVID-19 screening questionnaire (to check health conditions, etc.) b) Written oath c) Activity plan in Japan d) Documentation of negative COVID-19 test result |
After arrival in Japan | o Visitor will be banned from using public transportation for 14 days o Visitor can only travel between home and workplace for 14 days according to their activity plan o Visitor’s health conditions will be monitored for 14 days (via LINE app*) *Installation available only on mobile phones purchased in Japan (with Japan SIM cards) / An authority of the Japanese company or organization can report on behalf of the visitor o Visitor’s location data will be saved (via Google app) for 14 days |