Hawaii welcomes Japanese visitors in November with pre-trip testing

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) – Japanese visitors will be able to take advantage of Hawaii‘s pre-trip testing program starting next month, the governor announced Tuesday.

Officials said they don’t expect an “avalanche” of Japanese tourists, but said Hawaii’s agreement with the Japanese government is a big step toward restoring Hawaii’s tourism-driven economy.

“In March, when the 14-day mandatory quarantine went into effect, I apologized to many Japanese travelers who were forced to cancel their trips to Hawaii due to our security measures,” Gov. David Ige said in a news conference at the Honolulu airport.

“Today I am sending a new message: please do not hesitate to visit our islands safely. We are ready and looking forward to welcoming you again.”

Pre-trip testing programs allow inbound transpacific passengers to waive quarantine by providing proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken at least 72 hours prior to departure from a trusted testing provider. Previously, the program was only available to travelers from the mainland.

But the governor has expressed interest in extending it to international travelers, including those from Japan, South Korea, Canada, Taiwan and New Zealand – where COVID-19 infections are low.

Japan is the largest international market for Hawaii’s tourism industry. The second largest is Canada.

The first Japanese visitors could arrive as early as November 6 as part of the pre-trip testing program.

They must get their COVID-19 test from one of 21 trusted testing partners.

Ige said Hawaii will receive at least 10 flights from Japan to Hawaii in November. That’s a lot smaller than what the islands would have seen before the pandemic. But, he said, it’s a start.

Japan Airlines regional manager Hiroshi Kuroda said tourism from Japan to Hawaii is expected to return slowly as Japanese nationals are still required to quarantine upon returning to Japan.

He also pointed out that US passport holders are still barred from entering Japan. In other words, there is no pre-trip mutual testing program for Hawaii residents wishing to visit Japan.

Testing ahead of the trip to Hawaii began Oct. 15, and so far more than 94,000 inbound transpacific passengers have been screened upon arrival, Lt. gov. Josh Green.

About 10,000 of them had to be quarantined.

According to Green, about a third of inbound travelers are returning residents.

This story will be updated.

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