Japan Starts Accepting Vaccine Passport Applications

Japan has started accepting applications for vaccine passports for those who have been fully inoculated against COVID-19, hinting that its citizens can soon go for international travels.

As per the Japanese Government, Austria, Italy, Turkey, Poland, and Bulgaria have agreed to ease COVID-related quarantine rules for those with Japanese certificates, whereas South Korea will accept them as one of the documents required to exempt holders from quarantine requirements.

Reportedly, the Japanese government is negotiating with other countries to validate the use of its vaccine passports. As per the reports, these vaccine certificates will be official records that will be issued by municipalities free of charge, and will carry all the information about the vaccine administered, passport number, vaccination date, and other personal details.

According to the reports, the Japanese government is working on introducing digital applications and issuance.

To get the said vaccine passport, one will be required to submit documents, including the application form, vaccination tickets, and passport no, either in person or via mail. As of now, the application form and the certificate are issued in paper form.

There are still concerns that this will increase the burden on local governments, whereas the passports might lead to discrimination against people who have not been vaccinated yet. However, some restaurants and hotels in Japan have already started offering discounts for people who are able to show their vaccination records.