Japanese Government Eases Entry Restrictions to 20,000 Overseas Visitors Per Day

The Government of Japan began accepting tourists from overseas on June 10, as part of its easing of entry restrictions. The number of visitors to Japan, which had previously been restricted to 10,000 a day, has been doubled to 20,000. Airport quarantine has been relaxed considerably in line with this. The new quarantine measures classify countries and regions into three groups based on local conditions and other factors. Entrants from 98 countries and regions which are considered to have the lowest risk of infection, including the US and South Korea, will be exempt from antigen testing and proof of vaccination requirements.

Driver’s License No Longer Required for E- scooters

The revised Road Traffic Law set new rules for e-scooters in Japan. E-scooters with a maximum speed of 12.4 mph (20 km/h) or less are classified under a new category for e-scooters and e-bicycles.

Japanese Government Takes Serious Steps Towards ‘Web 3.0’

The Government of Japan has included the new internet concept of ‘Web 3.0’ in its ‘New Form of Capitalism’ action plan and will strengthen blockchain and non-fungible token (NFT) related technologies in the future. The government intends to promote this as part of its growth strategy for Japan, where the outflow of IT personnel overseas continues. However, challenges remain, including tax reform.

New Institutional Arrangements for ‘Level 4’ Drone Flights

Institutional arrangements for ‘Level 4’ drones will be put in place in 2022. ‘Level 4’ refers to flying over manned areas (i.e. third parties) out of sight, using automatic navigation technology for pre-determined routes. This includes the use of drones for delivering packages in urban areas. It is expected to stimulate the use of drones in various fields with ‘Level 4’ drone flights.