COVID-19 risks
Oct. 19, 2022, midnight
In light of the fact that the global infection situation is generally improving, and that G7 countries have already stopped designating levels by country and region, all the new coronavirus infectious disease risk information will be issued on October 19. The world is uniformly set to level 1 (please be careful).
Aug. 24, 2022, midnight
On August 24, the infectious disease risk information for 41 countries was changed from level 3 (recommendation to avoid travel) to level 2 (please refrain from non-essential travel), and the infectious disease risk information for 55 countries/regions was changed to level 2. The level has been lowered from (Please refrain from unnecessary and non-urgent travel) to Level 1 (Please be careful).
July 25, 2022, midnight
On July 23, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the global outbreak of monkeypox a "public health emergency of international concern." According to the WHO, more than 16,000 cases of monkeypox infection in 75 countries and regions have been reported so far, and the infection is spreading worldwide.
July 1, 2022, midnight
Although the infection status of the new corona varies depending on the situation in each country and region, the risk of death and aggravation has decreased, and deregulation at the water's edge and in Japan has also been seen, especially in countries where vaccination is progressing worldwide. I'm on the way. Based on these trends, the infectious disease risk information level is now available after comprehensively considering the actual conditions of each country / region, such as the status of infection, vaccination status, infectious disease control / medical system, and status of various measures in each country / region. Was reviewed.
May 26, 2022, midnight
Although the infection status of the new corona varies depending on the situation in each country and region, the number of new infections and deaths is declining worldwide, and the risk of death and aggravation is mainly in countries where vaccination is progressing. Is declining, and regulations are being relaxed at the water's edge and in Japan. Based on these trends, the infectious disease risk information level is now available after comprehensively considering the actual conditions of each country / region, such as the status of infection, vaccination status, infectious disease control / medical system, and status of various measures in each country / region. Was reviewed.
April 1, 2022, midnight
The level of infectious disease risk information should be reviewed after comprehensively considering the actual situation of each country / region, such as the number of newly infected people in each country / region, vaccination status, infectious disease control / medical system, and status of various measures. It was made. As a result, infectious disease risk information has been reduced from Level 3 "Recommendation for suspension of travel" to Level 2 "Please stop unnecessary and unurgent travel" in 106 countries.
Nov. 29, 2021, midnight
As the infection may spread further, please be informed and try to prevent the infection.
Nov. 29, 2021, midnight
As the infection may spread further, please be informed and try to prevent the infection.
Aug. 13, 2021, midnight
As the infection may spread further, please obtain the latest information and try to prevent the infection.
May 18, 2021, midnight
Coronavirus infections are still spreading worldwide, with more than 160 million confirmed infections and more than 3 million deaths worldwide. Although the number of infected people is decreasing in North America and Europe, the situation continues to require caution, such as the remarkable spread of infection in South Asia.
Based on this situation, the infectious disease risk information level in Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Seychelles, Saint Lucia, Thailand, East Timor, and Mongolia has been newly set to Level 2 by comprehensively considering various situations including the deterioration of the infection situation. "Please stop unnecessary and unurgent travel" has been raised to Level 3 "Travel Cancellation Recommendation".
Oct. 30, 2020, midnight
As the infection may spread further, please obtain the latest information and try to prevent the infection.
Travel advisories from local embassies and consulates
Information from the past two weeks.
Table of contents
- Dec. 6, 2024, 4:46 a.m. [Safety Information] Earthquake with epicenter in Northern California (December 5th)
- Dec. 6, 2024, 4:11 a.m. [Safety Information] Earthquake with epicenter in Northern California (December 5th)
- Dec. 2, 2024, 4:41 p.m. [Caution] High wave warning issued
- Nov. 30, 2024, 10:36 a.m. Changes to Guam entry requirements (Guam-Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Visa Waiver Program)
- Nov. 28, 2024, 3:16 a.m. Warning: Telephone scammers posing as bank employees, post office employees, or police officers
- Nov. 27, 2024, 5:51 a.m. [Caution] Safety measures during the holiday season
[Safety Information] Earthquake with epicenter in Northern California (December 5th)
Dec. 6, 2024, 4:46 a.m.
According to the United States Geological Service (USGS), a magnitude 7.0 earthquake occurred at 10:44 a.m. on December 5th in Petrolia, California. A tsunami warning has been issued, so please do not approach coasts, rivers, or river mouths. In addition, please keep in mind that aftershocks may occur in the future, and continue to stay alert and obtain the latest information.
<Reference Websites>
○United States Geological Institute (USGS): https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/nc75095651/executive?utm_medium=email&utm_source=ENS&utm_campaign=realtime
2. If you are caught up in a disaster, please make efforts to ensure your safety by following the warnings and instructions issued by local authorities, and contact your family in Japan and the nearest Japanese consular office to inform them of your own safety.
■Consular Office in Portland Address: 1300 SW 5th Ave, Suite 2700, Portland OR 97201
Phone: 503-221-1811 (main)
Web: https://www.portland.us.emb-japan.go.jp/itprtop_ja/index.html
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JapaneseConsularOfficePortland/
[Safety Information] Earthquake with epicenter in Northern California (December 5th)
Dec. 6, 2024, 4:11 a.m.
[Main text]
According to the United States Geological Service (USGS), a magnitude 7.0 earthquake occurred at 10:44 a.m. on December 5th in Petrolia, California. A tsunami warning has been issued, so please do not approach coasts, rivers, or river mouths. In addition, please keep in mind that aftershocks may occur in the future, and continue to stay alert and obtain the latest information.
<Reference Websites>
○United States Geological Institute (USGS): https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/nc75095651/executive?utm_medium=email&utm_source=ENS&utm_campaign=realtime
2. If you are caught up in a disaster, please make efforts to ensure your safety by following the warnings and instructions issued by local authorities, and contact your family in Japan and the nearest Japanese consular office to inform them of your own safety.
■In order to shorten waiting times when you visit the Consulate and to avoid congestion in the Consulate waiting room, we operate on a reservation system for passport and other certification services at the Consulate counter. Please see our website for details. (https://www.sf.us.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_ja/appointment.html)
■When traveling abroad, be sure to inform your family, friends, workplace, etc. of your travel dates and contact information at your destination in case of an emergency. If you are staying for more than three months, be sure to submit a residence notification.
(https://www.ezairyu.mofa.go.jp/RRnet/index.html)
In addition, if you are traveling or on a business trip of less than three months, please register with Tabi-Regi so that you can receive safety information as it arises while you are overseas.
(For details, see https://www.ezairyu.mofa.go.jp/tabireg/index.html#)
Consulate-General of Japan in San Francisco
Consulate-General of Japan at San Francisco
Consular and Security Team
TEL:415-780-6000
HP: https://www.sf.us.emb-japan.go.jp/itprtop_ja/index.html
[Caution] High wave warning issued
Dec. 2, 2024, 4:41 p.m.
Consulate-General of Japan in Hagatna
TEL: +1(671)646-1290
Email:infocgj@ag.mofa.go.jp
*This email will be sent to the email address registered on your residence notification and Tabi-Regi.
*If you have completed the simple registration for TabiRegi and would like to change or stop receiving emails, please follow the procedure to stop receiving them from the URL below.
https://www.ezairyu.mofa.go.jp/tabireg/simple/delete
*If you have submitted a residence notification and are returning to your home state (moving to another state) or wish to change the information on your residence notification, please complete the procedure at the following URL.
https://www.ezairyu.mofa.go.jp/RRnet/residencereport/login
*In order to protect your family, friends, and colleagues in the event of a disaster or unrest, please tell your acquaintances, business travelers, and tourists to file a Residence Notification (for stays of three months or more) or register for Tabi-Regi (for stays of less than three months) so that information on safety measures can reach as many people as possible.
Changes to Guam entry requirements (Guam-Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Visa Waiver Program)
Nov. 30, 2024, 10:36 a.m.
1. Japanese nationals must have a passport and a customs declaration form (Electronic Customs Declaration Form "EDF"), as well as one of the following documents (1) through (3) to enter Guam.
(1) U.S. Visa (2) U.S. Visa Waiver Program (ESTA)
(3) Guam-Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Electronic Travel Authorization (G-CNMI ETA)
2. Japanese nationals are subject to the Guam-Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Visa Waiver Program, so if you travel to Guam or the Northern Mariana Islands, such as Saipan, for short-term business or tourist purposes using an airline that is a member of the program (JAL and United Airlines are members), you can obtain a Guam-Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands electronic travel authorization "G-CNMI ETA" (free of charge) for stays of 45 days or less, even if you have not applied for or obtained a U.S. visa or ESTA.
3. If you are traveling to Guam using the Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Program, you must apply for and obtain a G-CNMI ETA online in advance.
Please note that form I-736 will be phased out as of November 29, 2024.
4. The Guam Visitors Bureau website states the following:
(1) If you are traveling to Guam after November 30th and do not have a U.S. visa, ESTA, or G-CNMI ETA, you will be denied entry and will be deported to your country of origin, etc.
(2) It is recommended that you apply for a G-CNMI ETA at least seven days prior to boarding the aircraft, and must obtain it no later than five days prior.
5. Those who have already obtained a U.S. visa (including U.S. Green Card holders) or the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (ESTA) do not need to obtain a G-CNMI ETA.
6. Please note that even if your G-CNMI ETA is approved, it does not guarantee your entry into Guam.
Guam-Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Electronic Travel Authorization (G-CNMI ETA) Application Website
https://g-cnmi-eta.cbp.dhs.gov/
For more information, please visit the Guam Visitors Bureau website.
https://www.visitguam.jp/planning/immigration-to-guam/
Consulate-General of Japan in Hagatna
TEL: +1(671)646-1290
Email:infocgj@ag.mofa.go.jp
*This email will be sent to the email address registered on your residence notification and Tabi-Regi.
*If you have completed the simple registration for TabiRegi and would like to change or stop receiving emails, please follow the procedure to stop receiving them from the URL below.
https://www.ezairyu.mofa.go.jp/tabireg/simple/delete
*If you have submitted a residence notification and are returning to your home state (moving to another state) or wish to change the information on your residence notification, please complete the procedure at the following URL.
https://www.ezairyu.mofa.go.jp/RRnet/residencereport/login
*In order to protect your family, friends, and colleagues in the event of a disaster or unrest, please encourage your acquaintances, business travelers, and tourists to file a Residence Notification (for stays of 3 months or more) or register with Tabi-Regi (for stays of less than 3 months) so that information on safety measures can reach as many people as possible.
Warning: Telephone scammers posing as bank employees, post office employees, or police officers
Nov. 28, 2024, 3:16 a.m.
Recently, there have been several reports of fraudsters posing as employees of public institutions such as banks, post offices, credit card companies, or police officers calling or texting victims to threaten account freezing or arrest, in order to incite fear and trick victims out of their money (see 1 below). Similar fraud methods are being used all over the world, and there have been confirmed cases in which victims have lost tens of thousands of dollars, so please be careful (see 2 below).
1. Overview of telephone scams reported to the Embassy (1) Case 1
A person claiming to be a bank employee called and said, "There is a history of weapons purchases being made with your (the Japanese victim's) credit card on the US mainland," and the call was transferred to someone claiming to be a supervisor at the bank. The person said, "According to bank regulations, we must report this to a government agency. If we report this, you will be blacklisted, and in the worst case scenario, you will be treated as a criminal. We need to obtain a police report within two hours and take immediate action," and told the victim that the call would be transferred to the police station.
The individual claiming to be a police officer at the transfer destination explained that the following exchanges would need to be done remotely, and directed the caller to a video call on Skype. During the video call, the caller was shown images of a police badge and certificate, and asked for personal information such as his name, passport, and ID. The caller was then led to believe that "you are connected to an international criminal organization, and one of your victims is located in Vietnam, so we need you to transfer money to an account in that country as soon as possible."
(2) Case 2
A person claiming to be a postal worker called and said, "Marijuana has been sent to Washington DC from your (the victim's) address in New York. You are suspected of a crime, so you need to go through the relief procedures." The person was led to believe that it was necessary to report the matter to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, but since the mail tracking number given by the person could not be used to find the item in question, the victim refrained from further communication and instead consulted with family members to prevent further damage.
(3) Case 3
This scam involves tricking people into entering credit card or debit card numbers through text messages disguised as notifications from the US Post Office (USPS).
For example, a message may appear saying, "Your package has arrived, but there was an error in the address information, so the package is being held at the post office and a small delivery fee is required to deliver it."
2. Countermeasures If you receive a phone call or text message similar to the above, please refer to the following for further action.
(1) Hang up the phone and be sure to consult with a relative or acquaintance. Fraud groups cleverly use words like bank freezes and arrests to make victims anxious and unable to make rational decisions, so never try to handle the situation on your own, but consult with those around you and get objective advice.
(2) Even if the incoming call screen is the same as a real, legitimate phone number, if you receive a call similar to the above 1 and 2, hang up the phone and call the relevant company or official institution yourself to confirm the facts.
(3) If you are shown a police badge or certificate, etc., take note of the name and identification number, hang up the phone for some reason, contact the police station in your area, and provide the information you have taken down to confirm that the person is a real police officer.
(4) Banks, credit card companies, and public institutions will never ask for money via phone or text message. If you are asked for money, it is very likely a scam, so hang up and contact the police.
Fraud groups use various methods to gain the trust of their victims and try to scam their money. Even in cases where victims realize they are being scammed in advance and avoid becoming victims, there are many cases where they would likely have been scammed if they had not received advice or guidance from relatives or acquaintances. In addition, this crime tends to target a wide range of people, regardless of age, and is characterized by the fact that they have actually fallen victim to it. Fraudsters use clever tactics to deceive people and attempt psychological manipulation, so it is very dangerous to continue calling or messaging them. It is important to hang up the phone and immediately consult with someone close to you.
(Contact Information)
Consulate-General of Japan in HonoluluAddress: 1742 Nuuanu Avenue, Honolulu, Hawaii 96817
Phone: (Country Code 1) 808-543-3111
FAX: (Country Code 1) 808-543-3170
Home page
https://www.honolulu.us.emb-japan.go.jp/itprtop_ja/index.html
*In order to protect your family, friends, and colleagues in the event of a disaster or unrest, please tell your acquaintances, business travelers, and tourists to file a Residence Notification (for stays of three months or more) or register for a Tabi-Regi (for stays of less than three months) so that information on safety measures can reach as many people as possible.
*If you have completed the simple registration for Tabi-Regi and would like to stop receiving emails, please follow the procedure to stop receiving emails from the URL below.
https://www.ezairyu.mofa.go.jp/tabireg/simple/delete
[Caution] Safety measures during the holiday season
Nov. 27, 2024, 5:51 a.m.
[Main text]
1. Preventing crime in crowded places During the holiday season from Thanksgiving in late November through to the New Year, bargain sales, holiday markets, concerts, and other events are held all over the country.
I think there will be more opportunities to go to places where large numbers of people gather.
In these crowded places, there is a high risk of becoming a victim of theft such as pickpocketing and snatching. When you go out, please be careful to avoid becoming a victim of theft by not carrying large amounts of cash or valuables and by being more careful than usual about managing your belongings.
It is also said that places where many people gather are likely to be targets of terrorist attacks and random shootings. If you see any suspicious people or things, please report it to the police immediately and leave the area.
2. Preventing crime caused by alcohol-related problems This is also the time of year when people tend to eat and drink outside of their homes more often. There have been cases of people having their bags stolen while eating and drinking at restaurants and bars. Also, if you find yourself in a fight or argument, please do not try to mediate, but leave it to the store staff or police to deal with the situation and leave the scene as quickly as possible, making your own safety your number one priority.
3. Beware of scams by individuals claiming to be USPS or Tokyo Customs officials. In this area, scams related to parcel delivery are rampant, including text messages from individuals claiming to be USPS employees offering to temporarily hold or redeliver parcels, and fraudulent phone calls from individuals claiming to be Tokyo Customs officials.
During this time of year, there are many opportunities to give and receive gifts to family and friends, and these types of scams may become more common than ever before. If you receive an inquiry about a parcel you do not recognize, especially one requesting credit card information, it is highly likely to be a specialized scam. Do not respond to the request, but instead answer the phone and remain calm.
We hope you all have a safe and enjoyable holiday season.
If you are still a victim of a crime despite taking all necessary precautions, please report the crime to the police and contact our embassy.
[Contact Information]
Consular Section, Consulate-General of Japan in Boston
Consulate-General of Japan in Boston
TEL: 617-973-9772, FAX: 617-542-1329
http://www.boston.us.emb-japan.go.jp/itprtop_ja/index.html
*If you have registered for TabiRegi and would like to stop receiving emails, please follow the procedure to stop receiving emails from the URL below.
https://www.ezairyu.mofa.go.jp/tabireg/simple/delete
*If you have returned to your home country or moved to another country and have not yet filed a return (moving) notification, we apologize for the inconvenience, but please follow the procedure below.
＜Returning to Japan＞
If you have submitted a paper residence notification, please submit a return notification to our Embassy by email or other means.
If you are using ORRnet, please complete the procedure from the following URL.
https://www.ezairyu.mofa.go.jp/RRnet/index.html
＜Relocation＞
Please submit your residence notification to the nearest Japanese diplomatic mission either by paper or via ORRnet.
* In order to protect your family, friends, and colleagues in the event of a disaster or unrest, please tell your acquaintances, business travelers, and tourists to file a Residence Notification (for stays of 3 months or more) or register for a Tabi-Regi (for stays of less than 3 months) so that information on safety measures can reach as many people as possible.
