At a time when international travel has become a calculation factor, some countries are introducing the idea of vaccine passports. Japan became the last country to do so. The idea of vaccine passports is to make travel easier for those who have been vaccinated. These passports will be in the form of a phone application, and travelers need to scan QR codes at airports before boarding a flight or even before arriving in Japan.
The Japanese government hopes that with the introduction of vaccination passports in the country will resume business travel, which ceased after the pandemic. According to Tari Kono, the minister responsible for the vaccination campaign in Japan, said at a parliamentary meeting: “This is done by other countries, so Japan will also have to consider it.”
Vaccine passports are slowly becoming the norm, and the European Union, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and China are also striving for it. Tari Kono has previously expressed concern that such an arrangement could be discriminatory against those who are unable or unwilling to receive the vaccine.
It is reported that vaccine passports for Japan will list the negative results of the polymerase chain reaction, as well as tests for antigens.
Currently, the country accepts only foreign residents and citizens, as well as foreigners who are in exceptional circumstances. However, such people must provide negative COVID test results obtained 72 hours before departure.