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On 10 September 2020, we asked Sit Fong a few questions which she answered so candidly. This is her take on surviving the travel back to Japan from Hong Kong.
For more of her travel adventures visit her blog at www.sitwithsit.com | Instagram: @sitwsit
Do share why you had to travel
I left Japan for a dive holiday the first week of March. Back then, none of the countries had any border controls or bans, so it was still possible to fly between countries without any restrictions.
After my dive trip, I flew back to Hong Kong on March 22, with the intention of spending a few days there before returning to Japan (*I am also a Hong Kong Permanent Resident). Unfortunately, Hong Kong started imposing COVID-19 policies for all its returning residents, and so I was required to undergo a 14-day home quarantine in Hong Kong.
I was finally able to travel back to Japan end of August.
Were you restricted from entering? If so why?
(Yes, I was restricted from entering Japan)
During my quarantine in Hong Kong, Japan declared a State of Emergency and subsequently imposed a re-entry ban on April 3. As I was still undergoing my mandatory home quarantine in Hong Kong then, I could not leave Hong Kong in time to return to Japan before the implementation took into effect. Like many others, the Japan re-entry ban left thousands of its legal foreign residents unable to return to their Japan homes in time.
Up until September 2020, Japan only allowed re-entry under special circumstances for people with certain visa statuses who had left the country before the ban was introduced or on humanitarian grounds such as a relative’s death or a health emergency. Since I did not qualify, I was restricted from entering Japan until recently.
As of today, Japan is slowly loosening its entry restrictions and allowing all its foreign residents with a legal residence status to return. That said, travel is subject to certain conditions including a pre-entry test for COVID-19 where all foreign residents are required to undergo a Coronavirus testing and submit proof of the testing within 72 hours prior to flight departure (This condition does NOT apply to Japanese nationals returning to Japan). In addition, we are also required to once again undergo a Coronavirus testing upon entry into Japan and observe a 14-day quarantine period.
(This condition applies to Japanese nationals returning to Japan as well)
Were there many ‘stuck’ overseas like you?
Yes, I believe so (according to Government data, around 200k-300k foreign residents were stuck abroad). The re-entry ban imposed by the Japanese Government has left many foreign residents like me in limbo; a lot of us who had left Japan in the earlier stages of the pandemic were stuck abroad and faced uncertainty about our careers and lives in Japan. Many were also separated from their families because of this restriction.
What was the pre-arrival process like?
I was part of the first batch of foreign residents allowed back into Japan since I left before the April 3 re-entry ban. However, this also meant a stricter process I had to follow.
The process included a “Re-entry Permission / Confirmation Letter” which I had to apply from the Japanese Consulate in Hong Kong beforehand. In order to qualify for this letter, I must show that I have a valid re-entry permit including a special re-entry permit stamp on my passport and a valid Japanese residence card. After getting the “Letter”, I then had to complete a COVID-19 testing 72 hours prior to my flight. In Hong Kong, it is difficult to get a test result within the 72 hours timeline. Most of the public hospitals can only produce a result after the 3rd or 4th day. In addition, one of the documentation requirements issued by the Japanese authorities is that the COVID-19 test results must be an original health certificate stamped and issued by the consulting doctor and/or the hospital. Thankfully a selected number of private hospitals in HK provide this service (at an additional cost) and I was able to get a test done after a 2-week pre-advanced booking. My COVID-19 test cost me HKD 1,850 which I had to pay out of my own pocket. Unfortunately, I will not be able to claim this from my medical insurance.
What was the process like checking in and flying off from Hong Kong airport?
The process was relatively smooth. I had a little bit of a delay during the check -in process departing from Hong Kong. The airline attendants were not familiar with the Japanese re-entry rules and told me that I did not qualify despite producing all the necessary documentation. In the end, I had to wait an extra hour for them to do their ‘internal’ checks with their Japanese counterparts in order to get the final go ahead. This was a little frustrating as I was already anxious to board the plane and expected them to be on top of all the regulations. Once I got the green light, the rest of the check-in procedure was easy. Received my boarding pass, checked in my bags and boarded the plane all in 30 mins. Going through immigration was a breeze as the airport was completely empty. There were definitely more airport staff operating the scanning machines than there were passengers! No duty free shops were opened and only a selected eatery stalls were open for business.
They say it’s safe to fly because the chances of catching the virus on flight is very slim. Were you confident when embarking the plane?
In my opinion, this is the best time to fly. As there aren’t many people traveling at the moment, we were seated far away from other passengers. In total there were less than 20 people on my flight, so it was easy to spread everyone out in the plane. Moreover, the airline crew (thanks Cathay Pacific!) were very good in making sure everyone had their masks on and sanitized the plane well. I did not feel any threat in anyway and had a very memorable and pleasant flight to Japan.
Can you share in detail what happened when you landed and what you had to go through in order to exit Narita?
Landing in Narita Airport: This was the easiest part – it just took a while to get the PCR testing results but otherwise, everything went really well & smoothly. People in Japan were helpful, friendly & polite.
On the plane, they gave us a bunch of forms to fill out (let Covid Entry Check know if you want copies of this).
I landed at 15:29 (local time). Then we were told to wait in our seats as they needed to get clearance from a quarantine officer before allowing passengers to disembark. Approximately 7 minutes later, we were told that they will first allow those with connecting flights to get off first. Then several minutes later, the rest of us were allowed to disembark. In total, this probably took around 15 minutes.
After landing, the flow is:
– Wait to get a PCR test
– Wait for PCR test result
– Immigration
– Customs
Everything is well organized from the moment you disembark. There are plenty of officers & booths spread out throughout the process to give you paperwork, check your paperwork, ask you questions, tell you about the quarantine, look at the documents, take paperwork etc. Each arriving passenger will have a name sticker that’s already pre-printed by the time you land for every form, paperwork & PCR test tube they give you. That’s how efficient Japan is. I must say I was super impressed.
The PCR test was a saliva test. We were each given a test tube and lead to a private booth to provide at least 1ml worth of saliva. What I found interesting is that there were pictures of lemons & plums posted all around the private booths to help you provide saliva. I suppose giving 1ml worth of saliva isn’t as easy as everyone thinks it is. It certainly took me a while to gather the full amount!
I did the PCR test at 16:04 (local time). Once completed, we are led to the waiting area where each one is assigned a numbered seating and asked to sit and wait for our test results. There were no charging outlets nearby but thankfully I pre-empt this could be the case and made sure all my electronic devices were fully charged during the flight. We were given limitless bottles of water, snacks and given access to the bathrooms. They finally announced my number for my PCR results at around 17:16 (local time). All in all, it took a little over an hour to get my results (negative of course!)
Immigration was easy. My supporting documents were collected by the attending immigration officer and was told to wait while they checked them. A few minutes later, another officer came back and asked me for the original copy of the COVID-19 test results from the Hong Kong hospital (I had previously given them a COPY only as I was planning on keeping the original for my own record purposes). Since I had the original copy with me, I ended up giving what he wanted. Other than that, I was asked the standard questions; how long I’ve been away, where have I been living before entering, where will I live in Tokyo now etc. ; and then was allowed to pass through several minutes later.
Baggage Claim & Customs was the usual. My luggage was already out and ready to go. Walked by the customs officer who stopped me and asked what’s in my bags , looked at my passport, and cleared for me to pass through.
One of the rules for all returning residents is that we are not allowed to take any form of public transportation home, so I was half expecting someone to be following me to ensure I had my own transportation, but no one followed me out of the airport. I guess they just trust you to obey the rules here in Japan.
Did you have to bear the cost of the test, quarantine, etc?
The PCR test upon arriving at Narita airport was free. Quarantine wise, it is merely a self-imposed 14-day home/hotel quarantine based on “honor system”.
What was the biggest revelation to you during this process?
I must say what strike me the most is how relaxed Japan is in terms of their quarantine rules. Given how rigid Japan can be when it comes to certain things, I am surprised that they do not impose a strict quarantine procedure for its returning residents & nationals like what Hong Kong (or some other countries) does. In fact, we are free to leave our homes to get food at the supermarket and/or convenient stores at any time without any consequences. We are just reminded not to be out for long periods of time and politely asked to avoid big crowds when we go out.
Were there moments where you thought this was easy and you felt safe?
Unfortunately, not. Nothing about this whole COVID-19 pandemic has been easy. In fact, it’s been rather stressful and emotionally draining being locked out of Japan for such long periods of time. I am constantly worried about my home in Tokyo, bills, career, visa status etc. The only good thing is that I was able to spend a lot more quality time with my loved one and to know family members are all healthy & safe.
Did you have to be quarantined and how did you spend your days then?
Yes, 14 days home quarantine – which was very easy. Since it was in my own home, it was easy to pass time. Having been away for 6 months, there was plenty of house cleaning / chores to do around the house, so this kept me busy for a few days. It was also a good time for me to clear my food pantry, so food wise this was well taken care off as well. It was a good time for me to experiment new recipes and use whatever ingredients I could find in my pantry, so that has been fun! All in all, the 14 days went by pretty quickly. Of course, Netflix helped a great deal too.
How do you feel about all this at the end of the day?
Of course, there are moments of frustration, sadness, anxiety and stress but at the end of the day, just very thankful & blessed for good health & safety for myself and everyone around me.
Thank you so much for participating in our Covid-19 Travel Stories. Do you have any advice for our readers and users?
Practice good hygiene and take precautions but other than that, try not to let the COVID-19 virus get you down. If you are traveling, be sure to do thorough research on all COVID-19 related rules & policies implemented by the specific country you plan to enter and ensure to print out and bring along hard copies of all supporting documents/immigration policies etc. It is important to know your rights & facts, so it leaves no room for immigration officers to refuse you entry into a country if you are eligible too. Most importantly, travel smart & travel safe.
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