Entering Japan (September 28 updated)
The Japanese government just announced that it will lift travel restrictions for entry after Oct 11. The official information is given on the following page.
https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/page4e_001053.html
More reader-friendly versions of information can be found at the following pages.
https://www.japan-guide.com/news/alerts.html
https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14725871
This means that 1) ERFS is not required; 2) the limiting of foreign tourists to those on a group tour will be lifted; and 3) visa exemption arrangement will be resumed. Essentially, as far as visa and travel are concerned, the requirement is pretty much the same as the requirement before COVID-19.
However, you ARE required to provide either a valid COVID-19 vaccination certificate (3 doses) of vaccines OR a certificate of negative result of pre-departure COVID-19 test within 72 hours prior to departing from the original country/region.
This news comes to some participants in the middle of the process of application for their visa. Such an application is no longer needed for most of the participants planning to travel to Japan. Do check whether you need a visa to enter Japan under normal circumstances (for reasons other than the COVID pandemic).
The program is not changed and the conference will be held in a hybrid format.
For information about online participation, zoom registration will be forthcoming on our "Program" page.
Information as of mid-September (obsoleted)
Currently, all non-Japanese citizens are required to apply for a visa, and registration on the ERFS (Entrants, Returnees Follow-up System) is also necessary to apply for a visa. For these procedures, we had to decide that the on-site participation of scholars from abroad is limited to the presenters and the coauthors of accepted papers.
For information about online participation, zoom registration will be forthcoming on our "Program" page.