JAPAN’S VAGUE ENTRY RESTRICTIONS

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Foreign expatriates in Japan are facing growing inconvenience due to the Japanese government's prolonged entry restrictions. There are no clear regulations on re-entry for foreign nationals. Moreover,Japan's measures lack fairness compared to other countries' entry restriction

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​Lee Kwang-seok has been in the trade business for over a decade in Japan. Late last month, his mother passed away in Korea, but he was unable to attend her funeral. Kim received a permit to enter Korea and an exemption from mandatory self-quarantine for foreign arrivals, but the problem was his re-entry to Japan.

[Soundbite] LEE KWANG-SEOK(S. KOREAN RESIDING IN JAPAN) : "In Japan, they only told me that there were no exceptions and that re-entry was not allowed, so I couldn't go to Korea."

Quite a few people faced such difficulties since Japan's entry ban measures took effect on March 9.

[Soundbite] LEE KWANG-SEOK(S. KOREAN RESIDING IN JAPAN) : "It breaks my heart. All I can say is I'm sorry."

This man in his 30s who runs his own business in Japan and Taiwan is in a similar predicament. He must attend a shareholders' meeting scheduled for next week in Taiwan. But there was no clear answer after multimple inquiries were made on whether he'd be allowed to re-enter Japan. He eventually left Japan on May 19, leaving his family behind.

[Soundbite] (TAIWANESE NATIONAL RESIDING IN JAPAN) : "It's strange that they treat foreigners who contribute to the Japanese economy in the same way as they treat tourists. I feel discriminated."

The Japanese government only permits entry in exceptional cases. But there are no clear guidelines on the determining criteria. According to sources, so far, fewer than ten Korean nationals were permitted to enter Japan as "exceptional cases."