Residents and foreign nationals will soon be required to present their digital vaccine passports for international travel starting next month.
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The move aims to facilitate a systematic means to show negative test results. And with it, the country is gearing to allow international travel once again.
Japan Becomes Latest Country to Adopt Digital Vaccine Passports for Int’l Travel
The digital passport will be available through a mobile app and will be linked to the government’s vaccination program, Nikkei Asia reported.
Vaccinated citizens currently receive a certificate in paper format.
Expected to debut next month, the app will be aimed at both Japanese citizens as well as foreign travelers in Japan who want to return home.
Several countries have embraced the concept of a vaccine passport for their citizens, including China and Denmark. Similarly, others have welcomed vaccinated travelers from across the globe, like Iceland and Greece.
The United Kingdom has proposed countries develop an internationally-recognized vaccine passport to aid the eventual return to normalcy, a concept Japan is aiming for as well.
Meanwhile, the Japanese digital health pass will be in line with international standards, referencing those developed by the CommonPass as well as the European Union’s eventual passport.
As of now, the government is not looking to use the vaccine passport for domestic travel.
While these digital passes could get international travel off the ground again, it won’t be in time for the summer’s Olympic Games in Tokyo. Earlier this month, organizers said overseas spectators will not be allowed to attend the games.
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