Help Fight Japan’s Essential Travel Ban

OFFICIAL DEMONSTRATION DISCORD  /OFFICIAL TWITTER 

 THE GUARDIAN ARTICLE , GULF NEWS ARTICLE , JAPAN TIMES ARTICLE , INDEPENDENT ARTICLE  
STOP JAPAN’S BAN’S MISSION STATEMENT-

▶️ Japan first began rolling out travel bans to various foreign nations in February, 2020. Since then, they have implemented some of the strictest border rules / regulations among the G7 Nations.

▶️ On November 8, 2021 (nearly 2 years later), the Government of Japan allowed foreign nationals with short-term business/work purposes (up to 3 months) and foreign nationals with long-term Status of residence (e.g., employees, international students, and technical intern trainees) to enter Japan under certain conditions.

▶️ Applicants were subject to the following rules:

Visa Is Required For Entry

Submit Negative Covid-19 PCR Testing Certificate Prior to Boarding

Sign Multiple Documents Pledging to Follow Covid-19 Prevention Procedures

Install Health Monitoring Apps on Mobile Devices

Submit "Screening Certificates" Issued by their Designated Ministry

Test for Covid-19 Upon Arrival

Quarantine For a Pre-Determined Number of Days

Quarantine Activities Would Be Monitored

Visitors Were Not Allowed to Use Public Transit During the Quarantine Period

▶️ In the brief window that Japan was open with these conditions (November 8th - November 25th), 104 people had been processed. Of that amount, only 87 were short-term travelers. The remaining 17 applications were for long-term visas.

▶️ On November 30th, 2021, foreign nationals were banned from travel to Japan. Government officials explained that they wanted time to asses the situation of Omnicron and that the ban would only be temporary. The ban was scheduled to end on December 31st, but it was not lifted even after the holidays.

▶️ On Tuesday, January 11th, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida declared that the travel ban against new entrants would be extended to "at least the end of February". We have not been given a concrete answer as to when the borders will re-open, and the wording of this statement is extremely vague.

▶️ On January 16th, it was announced that only 87 Government-sponsored students would be allowed in as special exceptions to the current border rules.

▶️ Entry to Japan is currently limited to citizen re-entry, permanent resident re-entry, diplomats / officials, those wishing to enter for humanitarian reasons (ie. assistance of sick family members), athletes, and entertainers. Some spouses and children of permanent residents / long-term residents / citizens are allowed under certain circumstances. Dependents and those entering for "Designated Activities" may also allowed under certain conditions.

▶️ Even without the entry of foreign nationals, Covid-19 cases in Japan continue to climb. However, the WHO and other health officials have been quick to note that Omnicron may be a milder variant. There is indeed a trend of lower death-rates among soaring case numbers.

STOP JAPAN'S BAN is requesting Japan introduce a clear and concise roadmap to the entry of ALL family, foreign students, workers, and trainees on short-term or long-term visas. The #JapanTravelBan is simply unscientific as it allows some groups to still enter/exit Japan freely. It is a burden to the Japanese economy which has lost billions in tax revenue often used for infrastructure. Businesses that rely heavily on immigrant workers now face a labor shortage. Potential entrants have put their lives on hold, spending money on tuition and turning down work opportunities with the hopes of entering Japan's borders. We pledge to follow any and all of Japan's Covid-19 Prevention Procedures / Rules in the event that these groups are allowed to enter. However, we will continue to protest publicly until our demands are met.

 

WHY WE NEED DONATIONS

Most of our members are just average family members, students, workers, business managers, and trainees doing all of the current work for free. They have less income than normal due to the travel bans (which have financially burdened them with legal fees, tuition costs, and missed work opportunities). Therefore, the capital we would need to really get our movement off the ground is currently unavailable.

 

We need assistance with:

-Legal fees: Lawyers, protest permits, tickets / fines, copyright costs

-Funds to purchase targeted ads to raise awareness in Japan : Facebook, Twitter, Tiktok, Instagram, and Line Ads

-Funds for other marketing material such as brochures, commercials, flyers, etc. for Japanese voters and foreigners overseas

-Demonstrator Support: Travel fees (for embassy / consulate general visits), food, assistance with financial hardships

-Funds to create a dedicated website for our advocacy group.

-Funds to pay for services that may assist us in our movement (software, translators / interpreters, graphic designers, etc.)



PLEASE VISIT OUR ZOOM CONFERENCE FOR DETAILED INFO ON FUND ALLOCATION 
January 29th, 10:00 AM Japan Standard Time
ZOOM MEETING LINK 

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated. We just want to continue on with our lives in the country we love, and live as the Japanese nationals do. We want to follow all health measures and contribute to Japanese society.

 

We have chosen Japan as our second home.