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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
World
Justin McCurry in Kyoto

Relief tinged with unease as Japan reopens after two ‘really tough’ years

Hiroko Inoue, outside her kimono shop in Kyoto
Hiroko Inoue, the owner of a kimono shop in Kyoto, is happy that Japan is reopening to visitors but thinks it should have happened sooner. Photograph: Justin McCurry/The Guardian

After more than two years of near-total isolation, Japan has reopened its borders to overseas visitors – but the road back to the pre-Covid tourism boom could be long and bumpy.

Last week, the country lifted some of the strictest pandemic border controls in the world when it removed a 50,000 daily cap on arrivals, reinstated waivers for short-term visas and dropped a rule requiring tourists to visit as part of group tours.

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