what does the visit japan app look like

Inside Kyoto

A Kyoto Travel Guide

A Guide to the Visit Japan Web app and Japan Entry Procedures

While it’s recommended to use the Visit Japan web app, it’s not mandatory. In fact it may be quicker to use the standard paper immigration forms on arrival in Japan.

There are now no Covid protocols for Japan. The Japanese government still recommends that visitors to Japan use the Visit Japan Web app, which replaces the paper arrival card and customs declaration, but you DO NOT HAVE TO USE THE VISIT JAPAN WEB APP.

On our last entry to Japan in October 2023, those not using the app actually moved faster through immigration and customs. So, it’s really up to you: use the app or just go old school and fill out a paper arrival card and customs declaration (and if you don’t get them on the plane, you can pick them up at immigration and customs).

Visit Japan Web

Time required to fill out and instruction manuals

When you first download the app and look at the instruction manual, you may get the impression that it’s going to take a long time to complete Visit Japan Web. In practice, it takes about 15 minutes and is pretty intuitive. I suggest using the simplified manual and quarantine section manuals linked below.

Three parts to Visit Japan Web

Note, Visit Japan Web actually consists of three parts: 1) immigration information (ie, disembarkation card information), 2) customs information (ie, customs declaration), and 3) tax-exemption section. When you successfully complete these sections, you will receive three QR codes. The first two you will show at the airport upon arrival. The third you will show at shops that offer tax-free shopping to tourists.

Important tip

You will need a charged smartphone with internet access for Visit Japan Web to work at the airport when you arrive. Japanese airports have free wifi, so connectivity is not an issue, but be sure to charge your phone before flying. Just in case something goes wrong with your phone or you cannot get online at the airport, it’s a good idea to do two things to print out your immigration and customs QR codes to show at the airport.

Important Visit Japan Web Links

Here’s the Visit Japan Web download site .
Here’s a detailed manual for using Visit Japan Web.
Here’s a simplified Visit Japan Web Manual (scroll down for instructions).

Kyoto Vacation Checklist

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Need tips on where to stay? See my one page guide Where To Stay In Kyoto
See my comprehensive Packing List For Japan
You can buy an eSim to activate in Japan or buy a data-only SIM card online for collection when you arrive at Tokyo's Narita or Haneda Airports or Kansai International Airport . You can also rent an unlimited data pocket wifi router
Compare Japan flight prices and timings to find the best deals
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Travel Alerts

How to use the Visit Japan Web for Entering/Returning to Japan

Easy Step-by-Step guide about Visit Japan Web

Are you planning a trip to Japan soon? Or are you a resident of Japan who is going to travel abroad and then re-enter? Then you may be interested to read this article to the end!

After more than two years closed due to the global pandemic situation, Japan has finally opened its doors to tourism recently. This was a long awaited opening by many, as the country of the rising sun is one of the most popular travel destinations in recent years and has been one of the places that has taken the longest to reopen to tourism. Surely many people are excited about this news, buying their plane tickets and preparing their suitcases. However, be careful! There is one very important detail to keep in mind or you could be left with the door slammed in your face and be turned back upon landing in Japan.

To enter Japan it is MANDATORY to present a vaccination passport with 3 vaccines of some of those approved by the Japanese Government or a negative PCR in COVID-19 72 hours before the departure time.

And what does the My SOS app have to do with the entrance to Japan? Well, let’s see now.

*Please note that this article contains affiliate links.

What is Visit Japan Web?

Visit Japan Web is a web portal launched by the Japanese Government to Fast Track your entry into Japan. On the Visit Japan Web website you can upload your vaccination passport or your negative PCR certificate before boarding the plane and get a QR. Technically, you can also present it on paper at the arrival airport, but some airlines may deny you boarding if you do not show them the QR code. Also, if you do the process in advance through the website and receive the approved QR, you are 100% sure that there will be no problem with your entry (it is unlikely, but it could be the case that once at the arrival airport the certificate you present is not considered valid).

In addition, with the Visit Japan web portal you can also do the questionnaire for the customs procedure in advance, receiving a separate QR.

In my own experience, I used Visit Japan Web on my recent re-entry to Japan and the process was much faster and streamlined compared to people who did not have it. There is a separation for people who carry the QR code with the 3 vaccinations/PCR tests and you get to Immigration much faster as they don’t have to check it manually (they only check that you have the QR). And once you pick up your luggage, you use the second QR code for the customs process.

In both cases, the time spent waiting in line is reduced considerably and you leave the airport much earlier. Below, I’m going to explain how to do the processes from my own first hand experience!

How to use the Visit Japan Web before entering Japan

The first thing you have to do is to go to this website and create an account. The procedure is the usual for this kind of cases: after registering an email address and accepting the terms of use, they send you a confirmation code and after entering the code you can access your page.

Once you are in your account, go to the “Your details” section and fill in the information requested (full name, date of birth, nationality, passport number, etc).

After registering your details, you will be able to click on the “New registration” button in the “Register Planned Entry/Return” section. Here you have to put the arrival information (date, airline company and flight number). Then you will then arrive at a screen with two options. One for the Fast Track and the other for the customs declaration. I recommend you to start with the Fast Track.

It’s time to start with the pre-registration procedures for quarantine. According with your departure country this part may vary slightly, but as long as I know most part of the countries have the same process. The top part is in red, and if you scroll down you can see a red band that says “Not yet registered” with your passport information. Below you can see the four documents that you must complete: passport, Questionnaire WEB, Vaccination certificate and PCR result less than 72 hours before departure.

The documents are easy. The passport is just take a picture of the page with your information and updated it. Once they check and see that it’s ok and the information can be read well, you can go to the Questionnaire WEB. You just need to answer a few questions and then you are ready to go to the next step, the vaccination certificate. In my case I took a screenshot of my digital vaccine certificate and they accepted it.

As you can see, since I have the vaccination certificate I do not need the PCR test (in case you do not have a valid vaccination certificate, then you can go for the COVID-19 PCR test). All the necessary documents changed from “Not yet registered” to “Completed” and the color changed from red to blue. Once you get this, you are ready to travel knowing that all your documents have been accepted.

After finishing this part, you can go back and fill in the section of “Declaration of Personal Effects and Unaccompanied Articles”. For those of you who are used to traveling, this is the typical small piece of paper that you are usually given during the flight to customs declaration in case you are carrying certain substances. With Visit Japan Web you can make this declaration in advance from the website and receive another QR code to pass through customs saving time.

How to use the Visit Japan Web after arriving Japan

Once in Japan it is very simple. When you get out of the plane there is a point where they separate people into those who have the QR code and those who do not. You just have to show the code to the staff and they will let you through.

After you have finished the process at Immigration and once you have your luggage, you will see that at Customs declaration there is a queue for those who have the physical paper and another queue for those who have the QR code. There are some machines where you have to swipe the QR code, and you are out, free to explore Japan!

And that is all. In case you can’t find it, here you have the official website of Visit Japan Web.

Visit Japan Web: https://vjw-lp.digital.go.jp/en/

And that is all. I understand first hand that with the current situation entering/returning to Japan can be confusing or make you have many doubts/worries so I hope this article helped you.

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▶Check the official website: https://www.airport-taxi.tokyo/en

Clinic Nearme

If you are a resident of Tokyo who is going abroad for a while, and you have been vaccinated here, our affiliated clinic Clinic Nearme can provide you with the vaccination certificate necessary for returning to Japan. For 3,000 JPY you can have your vaccine certificate on the same day. Clinic Nearme a clinics authorized for the Japanese government and one of the few clinics in Tokyo with English support.

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Visit Japan Web procedure: A comprehensive guide

As the world cautiously reopens its borders, Japan welcomes international travelers with renewed enthusiasm. To facilitate a smoother entry process, the Japanese government has introduced the Visit Japan Web (VJW) system, an online portal that streamlines the immigration process. Here, we provide a comprehensive guide to filling out the VJW form, making your upcoming trip to Japan a breeze.

Table of Contents

Understanding the VJW Form

The VJW form is a mandatory requirement for all foreign nationals entering Japan. It serves as a preliminary step in the immigration process, allowing you to gather and submit essential information before arriving at the airport.

Key Benefits of the VJW Form

Streamlined Immigration Process: The VJW form reduces the amount of paperwork required upon arrival, allowing for a faster immigration clearance process.
QR Code for Immigration: The completed VJW form generates a QR code that serves as your electronic passport, facilitating a contactless and efficient immigration process.
Simplified Quarantine Procedures: For selected travelers, completing the VJW form may qualify you for simplified quarantine procedures, reducing the time spent in isolation.

Eligibility for the VJW Form

The VJW form applies to all foreign nationals entering Japan, including short-term visitors, business travelers, and those with pre-arranged visas.

Steps to Fill Out the VJW Form

0 – Create an Account: Visit the Visit Japan Web official website ( https://www.digital.go.jp/en/services/visit_japan_web-en ) and create an account.

1 – Register Personal Information: Provide accurate personal information, including name, passport details, nationality, and contact information.

2 – Enter Travel Details: Specify your travel dates, including arrival and departure information, as well as the purpose of your visit.

3 – Submit Informations: Upload required informations , such as your passport and visa, if applicable.

4- Present QR Code at Immigration: Upon arrival at the Japanese airport, present your QR code to immigration officials for contactless verification.

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Visit Japan Web: How to register

Travelling to Japan? Visit Japan Web registration will save you precious time on arrival. Here's a step-by-step guide of what to do.

If you’re planning to visit Japan, it’s highly recommended that you take time to complete the so-called “Fast-track registration” before travel. This expedites the arrivals process after you land, granting access to a special lane at the airport.

Fast-track registration was previously done through the MySOS app, but from 1 November 2022, Japan has switched over to Visit Japan Web (VJW) instead. Here’s how the transition process works:

If you have not registered yet, you should do so via VJW
If you have already completed MySOS registration, you can use the MySOS blue screen for entry into Japan up till 13 January 2023

Those who have previously registered via MySOS are welcome to register again via VJW if they so wish.

In this post, I’ll walk you through the VJW registration process. It’s not significantly different from MySOS, although it has the added convenience of bringing immigration and customs clearance under the same portal.

Visit Japan Web

Visit Japan Web registration should be done at least six hours prior to your scheduled arrival time. There are three sections to complete:

Quarantine (Fast-track)
Immigration

Completion of each section will generate a QR code, which travellers will show at the arrival airport to expedite procedures.

Step 1: User registration

After creating your VJW account, the first step is to register your personal details.

You’ll first be asked two questions:

Do you have a passport issued by the Japanese government?
Will you enter Japan with a (special) re-entry permission?

For the vast majority of Singaporeans, the answer to both will be “no”.

You’ll then need to provide your passport details.

If you’re travelling with children, you may register them under your VJW account. The portal is vague about what the cut-off age is for an individual to require their own VJW account; with MySOS it was 13 years and above.

If you cannot complete the procedures of the airport by yourself, such as infants, you can register as a family members traveling with you without creating an account, and the representative can also enter the family members traveling with you portion to create a QR code. For those who can do the procedure by themselves, we ask that you prepare to be able to display it on your own smartphone, etc. as much as possible. -Visit Japan Web

I believe the idea is that as far as possible, each traveller should have their own device to display their own QR code, for efficiency reasons. If that’s not realistically possible, then they can be registered on someone else’s VJW account.

Step 2: Trip registration

The next step is to register your trip details.

Optional field, for your own reference
Planned arrival date in Japan
If you’re flying a codeshare, enter the name of the operating airline
If you’re flying a codeshare, enter the main flight number (i.e. not the 4-digit one)

You’ll also be asked for your intended address in Japan. You can enter the postal code (without hyphens) of your hotel here and see if the fields auto-populate. If they don’t (as was the case for the Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho, postal code 1028585), then you’ll need to enter the information manually.

Step 3: Quarantine procedures (fast-track)

When you first click on the quarantine procedures (fast-track) tab, you’ll see a red screen and a “not yet registered” status. This should look familiar to anyone who’s completed MySOS registration previously.

Our goal is to turn this screen to blue. This involves completing three sections (not four; you’ll either submit a vaccination certificate or a pre-departure test).

Unless you have all your documents already scanned on your computer, I’d recommend doing this section from your phone so you can snap photos and upload them immediately.

The first step is to upload a copy of your passport’s information page.

Once that’s done, the tag next to Passport will change to “Scanning”. Sit tight. You won’t be able to continue with fast-track registration until the system has scanned your passport.

This should take 10 minutes at most, and you’ll receive an email confirmation once it’s done (add [email protected] to your safe list).

Refresh the page and the tag next to Passport should have changed to “Please verify”. Click on it and confirm your scanned details.

Now return to the “Pre-registration for Quarantine Procedures” screen and scroll down. You’ll see the tag next to Questionnaire WEB has changed to “Please register”. Tap on it, and you’ll be sent to another webpage. Toggle the language on top as necessary.

To complete this section, you’ll need to provide:

Date of arrival in Japan
Arrival flight details
This section can be left blank if you don’t know
Whether or not you’re a crew member
Nationality
Date of birth
Address of accommodation
The calendar is not translated into English. All you need to know is 月 is month, and 日 is day. The rest should be intuitive enough
Departure flight detail
Remember to include your usual country of residence in your travel history
Health declaration
Email address
Contact number
Alternative contact number

Most of the information here should already be pre-populated, though for whatever reason, the accommodation information isn’t ported over. You’ll need to complete this again, keeping in mind the following:

Don’t include hyphens for postal codes. Once the postal code is entered, the rest of the field should auto-populate
If the system refuses to recognise your postal code, leave the postal code field blank and enter the values manually
Remember to select the last option “lodging or destination facility”

Double check your responses, and click “complete response” when done.

Return to the “Pre-registration for Quarantine Procedures” screen and scroll down. You’ll see the tag next to Vaccination certificate has changed to “Please register”.

Tap on it and select “Will submit”. If your vaccination certificate details are in Japanese or English, tap “yes” for the first prompt, provide the details of your three doses and upload a copy of your vaccination certificate.

As a reminder, three doses of any of the following vaccinations, in any combination, will satisfy the fully vaccinated criteria (Janssen and CanSino only requires two doses).

Unvaccinated children under the age of 18 who travel with fully vaccinated parents/guardians will be treated as fully vaccinated. Children aged below six will be treated as fully vaccinated, regardless of their parents’/guardians’ vaccination status.

That’s it! You’ll be brought back to the “Pre-registration for Quarantine Procedures” screen, which will now show your vaccination certificate as “being reviewed”. There’s nothing more to do at this point; you can ignore the last section on pre-departure testing since you’re fully vaccinated.

Your information will be reviewed, and you’ll receive an email once your status changes. In my case it took about 1 hour.

Return to the VJW portal, and you’ll see the status screen has turned to blue. You’re all set!

Step 4: Immigration

The disembarkation card requires some additional details, namely:

Your country and city of residence
Purpose of visit
Intended length of stay in Japan
Declaration

The rest of the information should already be pre-populated from Step 3.

Step 5: Customs

The customs declaration requires some additional details, namely:

City of departure to Japan
Number of family members travelling with you
Declaration

Other sections

There are two additional sections in the VJW advising on travel insurance and emergency contact information. These are just FYI; no action is required from you.

Visit Japan Web registration has now gone live, which brings the fast-track, immigration and customs forms under one portal.

Registration should be relatively quick, and my approval was received in one hour, but the key thing is to do it early. There’s bound to be a deluge of applications over the next few days, so if you’re travelling soon you’ll want to give yourself plenty of buffer time.

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Your Guide to Entering Japan Using the Visit Japan Web System – UPDATED

November 29, 2022

2023 UPDATE!

Things changed earlier this year regarding entering Japan, and as of April 29th 2023 there are no longer Covid control measures being used when entering the country. As stated on the official Ministry of Foreign Affairs website:

All travelers and returnees will no longer be required to submit either a certificate of negative result of COVID-19 test conducted within 72 hours prior to departure, or a valid COVID-19 vaccination certificate of three doses or equivalent.

For most travellers things are essentially back to normal. The new digital Visit Japan Web system is still one option for entry, but you can also enter just filling in the immigration paperwork manually as well.

One hot tip from us – when entering Japan recently we found the lines for standard (paperwork) entry were quite small, while everyone using the digital system took more time to get though. Airport staff are hurriedly running about helping people using the digital entry system, as it doesn’t really speed up the entry process, if anything making it a bit more complex. Now that Covid measures have been removed:

Travel to Japan is essentially back to normal, no visa is required.
No proof of a negative Covid test is required
No proof of vaccination status is required
Travellers don’t need to quarantine on arrival in Japan

We’ll continue to update this info as we get closer to winter to make sure you take the best line back into Japan!

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New app allows travelers to make paperless entry into Japan

New arrivals go through entry procedures at Narita Airport on Nov. 29. | KYODO

Visitors and returnees to Japan will be able to go through simpler customs, immigration and quarantine procedures by using a new phone app starting next week, the country's Digital Agency said Tuesday.

Digitalization of entry procedures is expected to help reduce the risk of infection and burden on officials at airport CIQ facilities, which have been facing a shortage of staff.

Travelers who registered quarantine questionnaires and customs declarations, among others, containing their names, addresses, health conditions and other information via the app will only need to show their smartphones or other devices to officials upon their arrival.

The new service is expected to shorten the time of entry procedures, as officials will be able to see the traveler's relevant information simply by scanning a QR code on their device.

The app will initially be available in English and Japanese, and the government will consider adding other languages later.

Japan, like other countries, has tightened its border controls amid the spread of the omicron variant of coronavirus, believed to be more transmissible than previous strains and able to evade immunity provided by vaccines.

In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever. By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.

The Japanese Disembarkation Card for Foreigners

About one hour before landing in Japan, the cabin crew hands out small cards to passengers. These bilingual Japanese and English documents are called the Japanese Disembarkation Card for Foreigners and the Customs 🛂 Declaration. Filling them in is compulsory before going through Japanese immigration and customs services.

After 10 hours or more of flight in a pressurized atmosphere, the traveler’s mind might not be as sharp as usual, and the cabin crew might not be able to help as they are busy in preparation for landing. Japanese immigration and custom agents are very strict with any crossing-out or inaccuracy, so it is very important to carefully fill in the cards. This is the key to a smooth and swift arrival in Japan.

Disclaimer – The content provided on this webpage is for information purposes only. Filling in the Japan Disembarkation Card for Foreigners and the Customs Declaration forms is the sole responsibility of each traveler and Kanpai cannot be held liable for any mistake or inconvenience.

The Disembarkation Card

The Japanese Disembarkation Card for Foreigners (外国人入国記録 gaikokujin nyûkoku kiroku) is a recto-verso form. It will be collected by the immigration services, whose officer will also put a stamp on your passport.

The card’s purpose is for you to provide information about your identity and your stay in Japan.

One of the most frequent questions is which intended address in Japan and telephone 📱 number to provide. As travelers may have booked several accommodations to fit their journey, they might be puzzled about how to answer. You only need to write down the address and telephone number of the first hotel 🏨 or apartment of your stay (make sure to have the information printed or readily accessible before your departure). For other travelers, it might be best to write down the address and telephone number of the place where they will stay the longest, even if it is not the first accommodation.

The back side of the card is also to be filled in carefully. You might undergo a thorough cross-examination in the following cases:

if you answer "yes" to any of the three first questions
and/or if you declare travelling with more than one million yen (~US$6,335) in cash per person

The Japanese Immigration Services Agency recently started the Trusted Traveler Program. This program allows, under certain conditions, expedited customs formalities for frequent visitors who can go through automatic gates.

However, this service is only accessible upon prior registration and is submitted to authorization upon the first entry in Japan.

The Japanese Immigrations Services Agency has provided information about this service on their Offical Website (in English).

Visit Japan Web since late 2022

With the resuming of post- Covid 🦠 tourism, it is highly recommended to register on the Japanese governmental site " Visit Japan Web" before departing to Japan, to speed up the procedures upon arrival.

Further explanations are available in a dedicated post:

The Customs Declaration

This second document is to be submitted to customs officers once you have retrieved your checked baggage.

The customs officer can decide whether or not to inspect your luggage and/or bags, even if what you have declared stays within the authorized limits.

Since August 2019, the Electronic Customs Declaration Gate System, or e-Gate, has been introduced at Narita Airport Terminal 3. The system is to be extended to Narita Airport Terminals 1 and 2, Haneda, Kansai , Chubu , Fukuoka , and New Chitose airports by spring 🌸 2020.

To use the e-Gate system, the traveler must download the Customs Declaration App (only available in Japanese at the moment) and fill in the electronic form. A QR code will then be generated with the information of the declaration. This QR code and the IC passport must be scanned at the terminal. During the process, a face picture will also be taken. The traveler can then pick up their checked baggage and exit the airport.

An explanatory comic strip is displayed on the Japanese Customs website to help travelers understanding the procedure.

In compliance with the duty free, each adult should not carry more than:

3 bottles of alcohol (of 75 ml each)
100 cigars or 400 cigarettes or 500 g of tobacco (note that in 2021, from October 1st, the allowance will be changed to 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, or 250 g of tobacco)
60 ml of perfume (2 ounces)
And objects of less than ¥200,000 (~US$1,267) global value, not including objects of less than ¥10,000 (~US$63.35) global value each.

However, if you carry more than what is allowed, the customs duties are still affordable. As an example : ¥500 (~US$3.17) per liter for rum, or ¥13 (~US$0.08) per cigarette.

It is strictly forbidden to import the following items in Japan:

All kinds of drugs (even soft drugs)
Firearms, ammunitions, explosives, chemical weapons
Counterfeit products and means of payment
All kinds of pornography

Be careful to strictly follow this list as any infringement can be severely punished.

Please note that there might be some importation restrictions on items such as:

living animals
food and beverages
pharmaceutical and cosmetic products

General Rules

Always write in capital letters.

Be honest: always fill in the forms with the most sincere information as the Japanese Immigration Services and Customs officers might ask for additional details.

Crossing-out or alterations are not allowed. The cabin crew can usually provide extra blank documents in the plane ✈️ . Otherwise, these documents are easily available in the waiting room for immigration, before entering Japan.

Write down all your firstnames, even if you do not use them all. The informations filled in the forms must be exactly the same as they appear on your passport.

In the gallery, you will find samples of a Japanese Disembarkation Card for Foreigners and of a Customs Declaration form to help you fill in these documents.

Flights and Airports
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From July 1 to 31 -- Gion Matsuri Festival in Kyoto with float processions on July 17 and 24
From July 24 to 25 -- Tenjin Matsuri Festival in Osaka
July 27 -- Sumida River Fireworks in Asakusa
August 6 -- Anniversary date of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945
August 9 -- Anniversary day of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki in 1945
August 11 -- Mountain day / Yama no Hi (holiday)
Tokyo : Shinjuku , Shibuya , Harajuku , Asakusa , Akihabara , Odaiba , Ikebukuro , Ueno , Roppongi , Chiyoda , Ryogoku ...
Around Tokyo: Kamakura , Nikko , Hakone , Mount Fuji , Mount Takao , Yokohama ...
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North: Hokkaido , Tohoku ...

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Kanas are the much-needed basic characters of written Japanese language. Memorize them at a fast pace with our method.

Ask any kind of question and share your knowledge about Japan in Kanpai’s community space, our Q&A section Kotaete.

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Create your Kanpai account to manage your profile and view your participation history (questions, answers).

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First muslim-friendly snack souvenir shop in japan opens in osaka, muslim-friendly ramen restaurant ‘ayam-ya’ beloved by many muslims, get halal souvenir for muslim tourists in japan with easy pickup, japan’s first halal-oriented beauty salon opens to meet growing need, fukuoka city offers halal and vegan restaurant map, finding halal food and prayer spaces made easy with japan’s halodish, hotel chinzanso tokyo welcomes muslims: japanese garden & cuisine experience, halal kobe beef & dinosaurs unique bayside hotel welcoming muslims, hotel plaza kobe, the halal ninja way fun experience for muslims by hi-partners, what you need to visit japan for all foreign tourists & residents.

As Japan is fully reopening its borders for foreign tourists from 11 October, I want to share with you what you need to know and prepare before coming to Japan.

What requirements will change from 11 oct.

Vaccination certificates
Register with Fast Track app ‘MySOS’

Is quarantine needed?

What to do once you arrived in japan, does foreigners living in japan go through the same process.

You can freely travel to Japan without travelling under a packaged tour and without a pre-departure COVID-19 test, as long as you have received 3 doses of valid COVID-19 vaccines . For not-fully vaccinated people, you must do a pre-departure COVID-19 test (at least 72 hours) before your flight departure as usual.

Vaccines accepted in Japan:

Comirnaty/Pfizer (need 3 doses)
COVAXIN/Bharat Biotech (only need 2 doses)
Janssen & Janssen (only need 1 dose)
Moderna (need 3 doses)
Nuvaxovid/Novavax (need 3 doses)
Vaxzevria/AstraZeneca (only need 2 doses)

It is also okay if you have different vaccines, so you can rest assured. Please scroll to the end of this blog for details on the vaccine certificate in the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) website.

As for the visa-free travel, this is for people from 68 countries that originally can travel to Japan without applying for a visa before the pandemic. This is really great since Malaysians can previously stay without visa for 90-days, while Indonesians for 15 days.

If you are studying or working in Japan like me, I will explain more on this below.

What you need to prepare before your trip?

Bring a valid certificate verifying all 3 vaccinations in English or Japanese , either in paper or digital format. If you do not have a valid vaccination certificate, you have to submit a certificate proving you are COVID-19 negative. In this case, you need to do a PCR test (at least 72 hours) before your flight departure.

Secondly, install the Fast Track app “MySOS” via iPhone or Android before you come to Japan. It’s quite similar to MySejahtera (Malaysia’s Covid-19/health app). It supports 12 languages: English, Indonesian, Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, Italian, French, Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, Japanese.

MySOS app helps your entry process goes smoothly and faster, so I highly recommend you complete it before your flight departure.

Pre-registration Steps in MySOS app:

Register passport
Fill in online Questionnaire (multilanguage available)
Upload valid COVID-19 vaccination certificate
Upload negative COVID-19 certificate (for not-fully vaccinated people)

Your MySOS screen will turn from RED to YELLOW , GREEN or BLUE to indicate your review status and quarantine status.

What does the colour means?

RED : there’s an error, you need to register again
YELLOW : selected “Will not submit” vaccination certificate / Incomplete registration
BLUE : no on-arrival COVID-19 test, no quarantine
GREEN : need on-arrival COVID-19 test or quarantine

I’m not sure if this is still on, but just remember that the pre-registration in the MySOS app has a time limit (about 72 hours, as I recall) . Another thing I noticed is that once the screening is done, you can’t register again by clicking the pre-register button because you are already classified as ‘registered’. If the button in MySOS doesn’t work for you like mine, delete the app, reinstall it, and it should work fine.

For fully-vaccinated people— generally NO. But you may have to quarantine depending on which country you stayed within 14 days before you come to Japan . This info will also be reflected on your MySOS screen.

You can check out the country group lists via the “Reference” section below. If you want to check in advance about your quarantine and on-arrival test status, visit the Health Monitoring Center for Overseas Entrants (HCO) page to check which applies to you ( link below ).

My screen was BLUE , so the process was super short. I showed my screen to the staff, checked my registration in MySOS app (mainly the Questionnaire, certificates) with the medical staff, and walked straight to immigration. FYI, the medical staffs at the airport can also speak English.

Here is what the whole COVID-19 entry flow will look like. Pre-register with the MySOS app before departure → Connect to airport WiFi (the app needs internet) → Show the app screen to airport staffs upon arrival in Japan → Follow their instructions (show documents, on-arrival test, etc.) → DONE!

The answer is YES except for ONE thing— You need a re-entry permit ! This is not related to COVID entry requirements. This has always been an important part even before the pandemic. For people studying or working in Japan like me, make sure you get it because it can simplify the immigration process when you temporarily leave Japan.

If you’re planning to come back to Japan within 1 year, you just need to fill in the “Embarkation/Disembarkation Card for Re-Entrant” (ED card) before leaving Japan. You can find it at the tables located after passport control . Once you fill it in, hand the ED card to immigration with your passport and residence card— This is the same for when you arrive in Japan.

For foreign travellers, you will receive a “Disembarkation Card for Foreigners” by your flight attendant or you can get it at the tables near the passport control.

Hope this helps you prepare for your next Japan trip. Make sure to have all the required documents with you before coming to Japan. See you in Japan! What do you think about this? What other info you want to know? Share them with me by COMMENTING below at the “Leave a Reply” section!!

Reference: COVID-19 Vaccine Certificate / MHLW How to Register on MySOS app / MHLW List of Country Groups / MHLW To anyone entering/returning to Japan / Health Monitoring Center for Overseas Entrants (HCO), MHLW

Related Article: Muslim experience flying JAL with in-flight Muslim Meal Muslim-friendly airports with prayer room in Japan How to find halal food & items by ingredients in Japan

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TRAVEL | Tips and Advice

10 USEFUL APPS FOR VISITING JAPAN THAT ARE IN ENGLISH

Article | |--> Dayna Hannah

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PLANNING A TRIP TO JAPAN JUST BECOME A LOT EASIER WITH THESE 10 USEFUL APPS FOR VISITING JAPAN THAT ARE IN ENGLISH!

As much as we might hate to admit it, smartphones are necessary to get through most of our days. When you're traveling, they can be a real lifesaver. Especially if it's your first time in Japan , and you can't speak any Japanese! Before you leave the airport, make sure to pick up a SIM card or mobile WiFi router . Without them, getting connected while you explore different parts of Japan will be frustrating. Although you can depend on hotels to have reliable internet connections, most public places don't. Coffee shops and restaurants usually only have provider-specific routers, and city-wide WiFi is so slow it's pretty much useless. Once you've got a way to access the internet, download these apps to make your trip to Japan a breeze!

1. GOOGLE MAPS

Ikebukuro to Tokyo; Google Maps; Best Apps for Visiting Japan; All Japan Tours; Japan Travel Blog

Let's get the obvious app you'll need out of the way first. If you go anywhere on your own in Japan, Google Maps are a must. Cities like Tokyo and Kyoto have ancient roads that go in curvy and complicated patterns. Without a navigation app, you'll quickly get lost. But what makes Google Maps the one we recommend? It'll also help you navigate local trains, buses, and subways ! When you ride the Tokyo Metro, Google Maps will show you either your train's platform number or the name of the final destination. It'll also sometimes tell you which car to board so that you can easily reach your exit or make a speedy transfer. Recently, a new feature shows how crowded it usually is, too! That said, Google Maps isn't entirely flawless. It can drain your battery life, and it's sometimes a few minutes off on train arrivals and route estimate times. If you're making a long-distance journey, you can't search for which trains and buses accept the JR Pass. If you want an alternate navigation app, take a look at Hyperdia .

2. GOOGLE TRANSLATE

Where is the bathroom in Japanese; Google Translate; Best Apps for Visiting Japan; All Japan Tours; Japan Travel Blog;

You might have heard that most Japanese people don't speak any English. While that statement isn't entirely factual , a 2016 survey by Rakuten found that 70% of respondents said they have little or no English abilities. To get around the language barrier, many travelers learn some Japanese phrases , but it never hurts to have Google Translate as a backup. Many restaurants offer English or illustrated menus, but this isn't always the case. At some mom-and-pop shops, you might get stuck with a paper filled with kanji— in cursive ! In this kind of situation, you can use Google Translate's "instant camera" function. Although it won't be 100% correct, you'll get the main idea. When it comes to face-to-face communication, using English and hand gestures goes a lot further than you might think. Only use Google Translate as a last resort, and make sure you input simple sentences.

3. INSTAGRAM

Kiyomizudera Temple; Autumn Leaves; Instagram; Best Apps for Visiting Japan; All Japan Tours; Japan Travel Blog;

Yes, you'll see picturesque places that you'll want to share with friends, but we're not talking about that. You can use Instagram to help map out your day. Especially if you're coming to see cherry blossoms or autumn leaves . Everyone has their favorite place for seeing these phenomenons. However, cherry blossoms and other flowers are fickle. Nothing is more disappointing than crossing oceans to find they haven't reached their full bloom or have already wilted. With Instagram, you can get the inside scoop without leaving your hotel. Using the search function, enter the name of your tentative destinations. Other user's recent pictures will pop up, and you can see for yourself if it's worth it to go. There are other apps and websites dedicated to this, but the best (and free) ones are only in Japanese.

4. WHATSAPP OR LINE

Instant Messenger; LINE; Best Apps for Visiting Japan; All Japan Tours; Japan Travel Blog;

Don't get charged exorbitant long-distance fees when you call or text. Tools like WhatsApp and LINE will make it easy for you to keep in touch without running up your phone bill. If you're joining a group tour, download WhatsApp. Most, if not all, guides use this app to contact their guests in case of an emergency. If you aren't already a user, note that you can't call landlines, nor can you call a mobile phone that doesn't have WhatsApp installed. Besides tour guides, though, WhatsApp isn't the most popular instant messaging platform. Most Japanese people use LINE instead of calling or texting through their service plans. Like WhatsApp, you can use LINE to text, call, or video chat with other users. Businesses sometimes offer discounts if you add them as a "friend," so keep an eye out for these kinds of promotions.

5. ANA OR JAL

ANA; ANA App; Best Apps for Visting Japan; All Japan Tours; Japan Travel Blog;

Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways are the two largest international airlines in the country. If you're taking either of these on your flight to and from Japan, consider downloading their apps. With ANA Sky Mobile, you can make reservations, check flight statuses and your mileage, as well as apply for rewards. You can also use it to access in-flight entertainment on some domestic routes. JAL GLOBAL offers similar services, but the company has also released other apps to help you during your travels after you land. The JAL Explore Japan WiFi connects you to over 200,000 public hotspots.

6. JAPANTAXI

Japan Taxi; Public Transportation in Japan; How to Get Around Japan; Best Apps for Visiting Japan; All Japan Tours; Japan Travel Blog

Finding a cab in metropolitan areas is a sinch. You'll see them lined up at taxi stands or actively looking for passengers as they drive around town. However, if you're in the suburbs or if it's rush hour, you might have some trouble hailing one. There are ridesharing apps in Japan, but they haven't seen as much success as they have in other countries. With the JapanTaxi application, you can call a cab to your location without any Japanese needed. You don't need a credit card to sign up, and the interface is very user-friendly. Just hit "Pick me up here" to call a cab right away, or use the "Date and Time" button to reserve one. You can also change your location by moving your screen or search for an address. When you confirm your ride, JapanTaxi will send the license plate number of your car.

7. SAFETY TIPS

Safety Tips; JNTO; Best Apps for Visiting Japan; All Japan Tours; Japan Travel Blog

Japan is one of the most seismically active countries in the world and is typhoon-prone in late summer . Although it isn't likely that you'll experience a natural disaster, it's better to stay prepared. As soon as you arrive, your phone automatically connects with the emergency alert system. Unfortunately, all of the warnings are in Japanese. The Japan National Tourism Organization developed the Safty Tips app for foreign travelers to receive notifications in their native language. You can set it to actively use your location or input the places you'll visit. The home screen shows the current weather and a flowchart of warnings and information. Among the different options, you can find information about recent earthquakes, volcanic warnings, and evacuation procedures. If you have a personal emergency, you can use Safety Tips to find the closest hospital or phrases in Japanese for seeking help.

8. ECBO CLOAK

Ecbo Cloak; Packing for Japan; Best Apps for Visiting Japan; All Japan Tours; Japan Travel Blog

One of the necessary evils about traveling is your suitcase . No matter how few clothes you bring or souvenirs you buy, dragging bags around town isn't fun. Thankfully, Japan has a convenient luggage-delivery system, and most train stations have coin lockers. But what do you do when the lockers are full, or you don't want to send your things? Ecbo Cloak is like Airbnb for suitcases. On their interactive map, you can find different businesses that offer storage for a fee. Places like hair salons , language schools, coffee shops, and other establishments with extra space for sale all participate. The app very advantageous if you have oversized or unusually shaped items like sports equipment or musical instruments. You might also consider using it if you take a day trip and want to lighten your load. Best of all, you can reserve ahead of time or as needed depending on your itinerary.

9. OPENTABLE

OpenTable App; Where to Eat in Japan; Best Apps for Visiting Japan; All Japan Tours; Japan Travel Blog

If wandering the streets to find something to eat doesn't sound appealing to you, you can use OpenTable to find a restaurant. Although you might know this app as a tool for making reservations, it's possible to use it to search for shops by budget, cuisine, or availability. That isn't to say Japan doesn't have apps that work like Yelp. Locals usually use Tablelog or Gurunavi to find eateries in their area. Tablelog has customer reviews, and Gurunavi notes if there is an English menu or vegetarian options. Neither app is in English, but their mobile-friendly sites have multiple languages.

MeetUp; Making Friends in Japan; Best Apps for Visiting Japan; All Japan Tours; Japan Travel Blog;

If you're a solo traveler looking to make friends from all over the world, Japan can be a somewhat lonely country. In Japanese culture, people usually don't speak to strangers, even in bars and clubs. Try to strike up a conversation with someone in a cafe, and you might get sideways glances and awkward stutters. With the Meetup app, you can find events in your area where you can meet new people. Some of the activities target travelers and ex-pats, some are for everyone, and some specifically try to connect Japanese and international people. Just enter your hobbies when you sign up, and Meetup will show happenings around town that might interest you!

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Facts about Trump assassination attempt: What's real, what's not and how we know

The attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump comes in an election cycle inundated with questions about what's real.

We've seen a fake Joe Biden robocall , fabricated Trump statements , fake election filings and all manner of AI and deep fake images and videos . Not to mention the expected array of misleading posts about the presidential race.

This environment has spurred many to question reality – whether the scenes displayed nationwide by media outlets and on social media really reflect what happened.

But let's be clear. The shooting was real. Though the investigation is ongoing and some details remain unknown, there is extensive evidence showing what happened at Trump's July 13 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Here's what we know and how we know it.

Fact check roundup: False claims about Trump rally shooting spread online

Was there really an assassination attempt on Trump?

Claims that major news events are staged are hardly original. We saw the same trope after the Hamas attack on Israel , the Baltimore bridge collapse , the 2023 Ohio train derailment , the 2023 Nashville school shooting and many more. This narrative is as wrong now as it was in each of those cases.

An investigation led by the FBI found that Thomas Matthew Crooks , a 20-year-old from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, fired multiple shots toward the stage where Trump was speaking to a crowd of his supporters, according to statements released by the FBI and Secret Service . Crooks fired an AR-15-style rifle from a roof about 150 yards away and was killed by Secret Service agents moments after opening fire.

Videos published by multiple news outlets , including USA TODAY , show Trump abruptly reaching for his right ear, looking at his bloody hand and then dropping down behind the podium. People nearby can be heard saying , "Shots, shots, shots." A moment later, Secret Service agents surround Trump and escort him off the stage.

Shortly before Crooks opened fire, several rally attendees tried to get the attention of police after witnessing a suspicious man on a roof . Footage they took shows a man with long, light brown hair dressed in a beige shirt and pants can be seen lying down on the upward-slanting roof.

“Someone’s on top of the roof,” a man says in a video posted on social media the next day, while Trump speaks in the background. “Officer! Officer!" a man yells. “He’s on the roof!” a woman adds.

A July 15 statement from the FBI says it's investigating the incident "as an assassination attempt … and as potential domestic terrorism." It also indicates the bureau has done nearly 100 interviews with "law enforcement personnel, event attendees and other witnesses."

Were shots really fired at Trump rally?

Multiple shots were fired during the incident, contrary to various online claims that the shooting was "fake" or " staged ."

In a July 14 statement , the Pennsylvania State Police identified three rally attendees who were "shot during the attempted assassination of former President Trump at yesterday’s rally in Butler County." Corey Comperatore , a 50-year-old firefighter and father of two, was killed. Two others, David Dutch, 57, and James Copenhaver, 74, were injured.

Trump said in a Truth Social post that he was struck by a bullet in the upper part of his right ear. A photo taken by New York Times photographer Doug Mills shows what appears to be a bullet streaking by Trump's head during the rally.

Fact check : Post wrongly claims nothing hit in Trump rally shooting

Was Trump shot?

In his Truth Social post, Trump said he was " shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear."

"I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin," he wrote.

The statements released by the FBI are not as direct about the cause of Trump's injury, only indicating that the "shooting incident" led to "one victim's death and injuries to former President Trump and other spectators."

Who was behind the Trump rally shooting?

As of July 16, the investigation indicated that Crooks acted alone , according to the FBI, which also noted it "continues to conduct logical investigative activity to determine if there were any co-conspirators associated with this attack."

Crooks, who was not known to the FBI before the incident, worked at a nursing home as a dietary aid, a job that generally involves food preparation. He doesn't have a criminal record in Pennsylvania, according to state court records. No record of him shows up in federal court databases either.

Some former classmates described Crooks as a loner who kept to himself and had few friends. Crooks also appears to have had an affinity for guns . He and his father were members of the Clairton Sportsmen’s Club, a nearby 180-acre complex with rifle, pistol, archery and competition ranges, among other amenities.

The National Security Council hasn't identified any ties between the assassination attempt and any foreign officials. However, it is still tracking threats by Iran against former Trump administration officials, Adrienne Watson, a spokesperson for the agency, said in a statement.

Fact check : Man pretended he was Trump rally shooter in a viral video

Was the Trump shooter a Republican? Antifa?

Various unproven claims about the Trump shooter have circulated online, but the little we know about his politics right now is somewhat conflicting.

Crooks is registered to vote as a Republican in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, according to county voter records. His voter registration status has been active since 2021. However, he also made a $15 donation in January 2021 to the Progressive Turnout Project, a group working to increase voter turnout for Democrats, according to Federal Election Commission records.

The bureau has yet to identify a motive for the shooting, but it has searched Crooks' residence and vehicle , and it also gained access to his phone. However, CNN reported that investigators have not found evidence of a political or ideological impetus and that Crooks' search history did not show he had researched homemade explosives.

Fact check : Officials identified Trump shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks, not Mark Violets

My first visit to Japan left me in culture shock, but I wish the US would adopt some of its norms

In Japan, I saw how the local culture and etiquette are different from what I'm used to in the US.
With self-cleaning toilets and an absence of trash, Japan models an impressive level of cleanliness.
The public toilets and hotel freebies in Japan were also far superior to what I've seen in the US.

As soon as I arrived in Tokyo to a near-silent Narita Airport, I knew I was in for a bit of culture shock .

Already, the Japanese culture felt far different from what I'm used to in the United States: Most US airports are incredibly noisy.

As I left, I was surprised again when I got into a taxi on the right side of the car. I quickly learned from the driver's panicked reaction that I was apparently supposed to enter from the left.

The next few days were a crash course in learning the local etiquette .

Although I'm considered pretty soft-spoken back home, in Japan, I felt too assertive and found myself quieting my voice and being more gentle in my body language to adapt to my surroundings.

I found myself appreciating Japan's politeness , extreme cleanliness, and order, whether I was lining up to board the subway or using the immaculate public bathrooms.

The harsh return to loud and chaotic New York City made me miss many of the norms I witnessed on my trip. Here are some I wish the US would adopt.

The public bathrooms are impressively clean, with fancy toilets

Compared to the public bathrooms in the US, Japanese public bathrooms feel like they belong in a five-star hotel.

Each one I encountered in Japan looked spotlessly clean, and the toilets were more technologically advanced than anything I've seen back home.

They don't just flush automatically when you're finished — they can also sense when you're approaching and lift the lid accordingly.

Many hotels provide complimentary pajamas, slippers, and toiletries

I returned home from Japan with a full tube of toothpaste because I barely touched my toiletry bag during my trip.

Every hotel in Japan I stayed at had an impressive toiletry kit that included a toothbrush, toothpaste, hair brush, and single-use size packets of facial cleanser and moisturizer — often from a luxury skincare brand.

I've never gotten freebies on this scale at nice hotels in the US, where the standard is just one tiny bottle each of shampoo, conditioner, and lotion.

In Japan, I'd usually also find a set of pajamas and slippers in the closet for guests to use. At some of the finer hotels I stayed in, they were from designer names. The Derek Rose set I wore at The Ritz-Carlton, Fukuoka was so silky I considered buying them.

The complimentary items made traveling more efficient since I barely had to unpack at each new hotel I stayed in.

The airports often have separate slippers for walking through security

As someone who awkwardly tip-toes through security because I'm grossed out by walking on the airport floor, I was thrilled to find slippers available to borrow at several airports throughout the country.

In Japan, it's customary to remove your shoes before entering many indoor spaces. I loved that this extended beyond the airport to hotels, spas, and sometimes restaurants, where I'd often have to leave my outdoor shoes at the door.

It helped indoor spaces feel even cleaner, especially on rainy days when shoes can get wet or muddy.

There are hardly any public trash bins, yet the streets are spotless

Every time I had a receipt I wanted to toss, I faced the impossible task of finding somewhere to throw it out. Even in big cities like Tokyo, garbage bins are almost completely absent from public spaces.

I thought this would incentivize people to litter, but it actually seemed to have the opposite effect. A local told me Japanese residents often just hold onto their trash until they can dispose of it at home.

Public spaces are incredibly quiet, creating a calm atmosphere

In Japan, it's the norm for people to keep to themselves in public.

I first noticed it at the airport, where I saw seats separated by small walls instead of armrests, creating semi-closed pods for travelers. It was a dream for introverts like me.

Whether I was at the airport, on the train, or even a busy shopping mall , my surroundings were quiet — so quiet, I often thought I had my headphones in when I didn't.

In New York City, I'm used to hearing strangers' full conversations or music blasting from their headphones. In Japan, I rarely even heard someone on their phone — and if people were traveling together, they were silent or speaking quietly.

As a result, public spaces in Japan maintain an air of tranquility that feels like a novelty compared to many public spaces in the United States.

Watch: How the Tokyo Metro is deep cleaned

Main content

Where is Barron Trump now? What we know

Barron Trump is the youngest of Former President Donald Trump's five children and all eyes are on him as he embarks on a new chapter of adulthood.

The 18-year old Trump recently appeared at his first-ever campaign rally on July 9, with a smile on his face and fist-pumps in the air, in support of his dad's presidential run.

"He's now going to college, got into every college he wanted to," Donald Trump said during the rally. "He made his choice and he is a very good guy."

After a standing ovation for Barron Trump during the rally, Donald Trump joked “You’re pretty popular, he might be more popular than Don and Eric, we gotta talk about this." (Don and Eric are Barron's older brothers.)

Barron Trump was not present at the campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania when a shooter attempted to assassinate his father. Two people were killed, including the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks and a spectator, Corey Comperatore . Two others were injured.

The youngest Trump, has also remained absent during this week's Republican Convention .

Where is Barron Trump?

While Melania Trump has fiercely protected and sheltered their son while growing up from the public spotlight of his father's fame, politics and scandals, it was announced in May that Barron would be a Florida delegate at the RNC convention, alongside his siblings Donald Jr., Eric and Tiffany.

His mother almost instantly shot that down in a statement released by her office at that time; “While Barron is honored to have been chosen as a delegate by the Florida Republican Party, he regretfully declines to participate due to prior commitments."

Barron Trump moved into the White House when he was only 10 years old. But now, as his father makes another run for the white house, he is eyeing colleges for the next four years .

At this time, Barron Trump is not expected to make an appearance at the RNC convention this week.

Maria Francis is a Pennsylvania-based journalist covering trending issues across the Mid-Atlantic region.

What we know about CrowdStrike’s update fail that’s causing global outages and travel chaos

Person looking at monitors with overlaid Crowdstrike and Microsoft Windows logos (Image Credits: Bryce Durbin / TechCrunch)

A faulty software update issued by security giant CrowdStrike has resulted in a massive overnight outage that’s affected Windows computers around the world , disrupting businesses, airports, train stations, banks, broadcasters and the healthcare sector.

CrowdStrike said the outage was not caused by a cyberattack, but was the result of a “defect” in a software update for its flagship security product, Falcon Sensor. The defect caused any Windows computers that Falcon is installed on to crash without fully loading.

“The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed,” said CrowdStrike in a statement on Friday . Some businesses and organizations are beginning to recover, but many expect the outages to drag on into the weekend or next week given the complexity of the fix. CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz told NBC News that it may take “some time for some systems that just automatically won’t recover.” In a later tweet , Kurtz apologized for the disruption.

Here’s everything you need to know about the outages.

What happened?

Late Thursday into Friday, reports began to emerge of IT problems wherein Windows computers were getting stuck with the infamous “blue screen of death” — a bright blue error screen with a message that displays when Windows encounters a critical failure, crashes or cannot load.

The outages were first noticed in Australia early on Friday, and reports quickly came in from the rest of Asia and Europe as the regions began their day, as well as the United States.

Within a short time, CrowdStrike confirmed that a software update for Falcon had malfunctioned and was causing Windows computers that had the software installed to crash. Falcon lets CrowdStrike remotely analyze and check for malicious threats and malware on installed computers.

At around the same time, Microsoft reported a significant outage at one of its most used Azure cloud regions covering much of the central United States. A spokesperson for Microsoft told TechCrunch that its outage was unrelated to CrowdStrike’s incident .

Around Friday noon (Eastern time), Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella posted on X saying the company is aware of the CrowdStrike botched update and is “working closely with CrowdStrike and across the industry to provide customers technical guidance and support to safely bring their systems back online.”

What is CrowdStrike and what does Falcon Sensor do?

CrowdStrike, founded in 2011, has quickly grown into a cybersecurity giant. Today the company provides software and services to 29,000 corporate customers, including around half of Fortune 500 companies, 43 out of 50 U.S. states and eight out of the top 10 tech firms, according to its website .

The company’s cybersecurity software, Falcon, is used by enterprises to manage security on millions of computers around the world. These businesses include large corporations, hospitals, transportation hubs and government departments. Most consumer devices do not run Falcon and are unaffected by this outage.

One of the company’s biggest recent claims to fame was when it caught a group of Russian government hackers breaking into the Democratic National Committee ahead of the 2016 U.S. presidential election. CrowdStrike is also known for using memorable animal-themed names for the hacking groups it tracks based on their nationality, such as: Fancy Bear , believed to be part of Russia’s General Staff Main Intelligence Directorate, or GRU; Cozy Bear , believed to be part of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, or SVR; Gothic Panda , believed to be a Chinese government group; and Charming Kitten , believed to be an Iranian state-backed group. The company even makes action figures to represent these groups, which it sells as swag .

CrowdStrike is so big it’s one of the sponsors of the Mercedes F1 team , and this year even aired a Super Bowl ad — a first for a cybersecurity company.

Who are the outages affecting?

Practically anyone who during their everyday life interacts with a computer system running software from CrowdStrike is affected, even if the computer isn’t theirs.

These devices include the cash registers at grocery stores, departure boards at airports and train stations, school computers, your work-issued laptops and desktops, airport check-in systems, airlines’ own ticketing and scheduling platforms, healthcare networks and many more. Because CrowdStrike’s software is so ubiquitous, the outages are causing chaos around the world in a variety of ways. A single affected Windows computer in a fleet of systems could be enough to disrupt the network.

TechCrunch reporters around the world are seeing and experiencing outages, including at points of travel, doctors’ offices and online. Early on Friday, the Federal Aviation Administration put in effect a ground stop, effectively grounding flights across the United States, citing the disruption. It looks like so far the national Amtrak rail network is functioning as normal.

What is the U.S. government doing so far?

Given that the problem stems from a company, there isn’t much that the U.S. federal government can do. According to a pool report, President Biden was briefed on the CrowdStrike outage, and “his team is in touch with CrowdStrike and impacted entities.” That’s in large part because the federal government is a customer of CrowdStrike and also affected.

Several federal agencies are affected by the incident, including the Department of Education , and Social Security Administration, which said Friday that it closed its offices as a result of the outage.

The pool report said Biden’s team is “engaged across the interagency to get sector by sector updates throughout the day and is standing by to provide assistance as needed.”

In a separate tweet, Homeland Security said it was working with its U.S. cybersecurity agency CISA, CrowdStrike and Microsoft — as well as its federal, state, local and critical infrastructure partners — to “fully assess and address system outages.”

There will no doubt be questions for CrowdStrike (and to some extent Microsoft, whose unrelated outage also caused disruption overnight for its customers) from government and congressional investigators.

For now, the immediate focus will be on the recovery of affected systems.

How do affected customers fix their Windows computers?

The major problem here is that CrowdStrike’s Falcon Sensor software malfunctioned, causing Windows machines to crash, and there’s no easy way to fix that.

So far, CrowdStrike has issued a patch, and it has also detailed a workaround that could help affected systems function normally until it has a permanent solution. One option is for users to “reboot the [affected computer] to give it an opportunity to download the reverted channel file,” referring to the fixed file.

In a message to users , CrowdStrike detailed a few steps customers can take, one of which requires physical access to an affected system to remove the defective file. CrowdStrike says users should boot the computer into Safe Mode or Windows Recovery Environment, navigate to the CrowdStrike directory, and delete the faulty file “C-00000291*.sys.”

The wider problem with having to fix the file manually could be a major headache for companies and organizations with large numbers of computers, or Windows-powered servers in datacenters or locations that might be in another region, or an entirely different country.

CISA warns that malicious actors are ‘taking advantage’ of the outage

In a statement on Friday, CISA attributed the outages to the faulty CrowdStrike update and that the issue was not due to a cyberattack. CISA said that it was “working closely with CrowdStrike and federal, state, local, tribal and territorial partners, as well as critical infrastructure and international partners to assess impacts and support remediation efforts.”

CISA did note, however, that it has “observed threat actors taking advantage of this incident for phishing and other malicious activity.” The cybersecurity agency did not provide more specifics, but warned organizations to stay vigilant.

Malicious actors can and will exploit confusion and chaos to carry out cyberattacks on their own. Rachel Tobac, a social engineering expert and founder of cybersecurity firm SocialProof Security, said in a series of posts on X to “verify people are who they say they are before taking sensitive actions.”

“Criminals will attempt to use this IT outage to pretend to be IT to you or you to IT to steal access, passwords, codes, etc.,” Tobac said.

What do we know about misinformation so far?

It’s easy to understand why some might have thought that this outage was a cyberattack. Sudden outages, blue screens at airports, office computers filled with error messages, and chaos and confusion. As you might expect, a fair amount of misinformation is already flying around , even as social media sites incorrectly flag trending topics like “cyberattack.”

Remember to check official sources of news and information, and if something seems too good to be true, it might just well be.

TechCrunch will keep this report updated throughout the day.

TechCrunch’s Ram Iyer contributed reporting.

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How One Bad CrowdStrike Update Crashed the World’s Computers

Only a handful of times in history has a single piece of code managed to instantly wreck computer systems worldwide. The Slammer worm of 2003 . Russia’s Ukraine-targeted NotPetya cyberattack . North Korea’s self-spreading ransomware WannaCry . But the ongoing digital catastrophe that rocked the internet and IT infrastructure around the globe over the past 12 hours appears to have been triggered not by malicious code released by hackers, but by the software designed to stop them.

Two internet infrastructure disasters collided on Friday to produce disruptions around the world in airports, train systems, banks, health care organizations, hotels, television stations, and more. On Thursday night, Microsoft’s cloud platform Azure experienced a widespread outage. By Friday morning, the situation turned into a perfect storm when the security firm CrowdStrike released a flawed software update that sent Windows computers into a catastrophic reboot spiral. A Microsoft spokesperson tells WIRED that the two IT failures are unrelated.

The cause of one of those two disasters, at least, has become clear: buggy code pushed out as an update to CrowdStrike’s Falcon monitoring product, essentially an antivirus platform that runs with deep system access on “endpoints” like laptops, servers, and routers to detect malware and suspicious activity that could indicate compromise. Falcon requires permission to update itself automatically and regularly, since CrowdStrike is constantly adding detections to the system to defend against new and evolving threats. The downside of this arrangement, though, is the risk that this system, which is meant to enhance security and stability, could end up undermining it instead.

“It's the biggest case in history. We’ve never had a worldwide workstation outage like this,” says Mikko Hyppönen, the chief research officer at cybersecurity company WithSecure. Around a decade ago, Hyppönen says, widespread outages were more common due to the spread of worms or trojans. More recently, global outages have happened on the “server side” of systems, meaning outages often stem from cloud providers such as Amazon’s Web Services , internet cable cuts , or authentication and DNS issues .

CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz said on Friday that the issues were caused by a “defect” in code the company released for Windows. Mac and Linux systems were not affected. “The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed,” Kurtz said in a statement, adding the problems were not the result of a cyberattack. In an interview with NBC, Kurtz apologized for the disruption and said it may take some time for things to be back to normal.

The widespread Windows outages have been linked to a software update from cybersecurity giant CrowdStrike. It is believed the issues are not linked to a malicious cyberattack, cybersecurity officials say, but rather stem from a misconfigured/corrupted update that CrowdStrike pushed out to its customers.

In a more detailed update Friday evening , CrowdStrike wrote in a blog post that the root cause of the crash had been a single configuration file pushed as an update to Falcon. The update was specifically aimed at changing how Falcon inspects “named pipes” in Windows, a feature that allows software to send data between processes on the same machine or with other computers on the local network. CrowdStrike says the configuration file update was aimed at allowing Falcon to catch a new method that hackers were using for communication between their malware on victim machines and command-and-control servers. “The configuration update triggered a logic error that resulted in an operating system crash,” the post reads.

Security and IT analysts searching for the root cause of the gargantuan outage had initially thought that it must be related to a “kernel driver” update to CrowdStrike’s Falcon software, due in part to the fact that the file that caused the crash ended in .sys, the file extension kernel drivers use. Kernel drivers are the software components that allow applications to interact with Windows at its deepest level, the core of the operating system known as its kernel. That highly sensitive level of access is necessary for security software, so that it can run prior to any malicious software installed on the system and access any part of the system where hackers might seek to plant their code. As malware has improved and evolved, it has pushed defense software to require constant connection and more extensive control.

That deeper access also introduces a far higher possibility that security software—and updates to that software—will crash the whole system, says Matthieu Suiche, head of detection engineering at the security firm Magnet Forensics. He compares running malicious code detection software at the kernel level of an operating system to “open-heart surgery.”

CrowdStrike noted in its blog post that despite the fact that the configuration file that caused the crash ended in the .sys file extension, it was not in fact a kernel driver. Yet it does appear that the configuration file was used by the driver and altered its functionality in a way that caused it to crash, says Costin Raiu, who worked at Russian security software firm Kaspersky for 23 years and led its threat intelligence team before leaving the company last year. During his years at Kaspersky, Raiu says, driver updates for Windows software were closely scrutinized and tested for weeks before they were pushed out. In this case, he suggests the configuration file may have been a far less scrutinized update that nonetheless able to change the way the kernel driver functioned and thus cause the crash. “It’s surprising that with the extreme attention paid to drivers, this still happened,” says Raiu. “One simple driver can bring down everything. Which is what we saw here.”

Microsoft requires developers to get its approval for kernel driver updates, which entails the company’s own careful inspection process. But Microsoft wouldn’t necessarily require any such approval for a configuration file. A Microsoft spokesperson told WIRED that the “CrowdStrike update was responsible for bringing down a number of IT systems globally,” and added that “Microsoft does not have oversight into updates that CrowdStrike makes in its systems.”

Raiu adds that, even so, CrowdStrike is far from the only security firm to trigger Windows crashes. Updates to Kaspersky and even Windows’ own built-in antivirus software Windows Defender have caused similar Blue Screen of Death crashes in years past, he notes. “Every security solution on the planet has had their CrowdStrike moments,” Raiu says. “This is nothing new but the scale of the event.”

Cybersecurity authorities around the world have issued alerts about the disruption, but have similarly been quick to rule out any nefarious activity by hackers. “The NCSC assesses that these have not been caused by malicious cyber attacks,” Felicity Oswald, CEO of the UK’s National Cyber Security Center, said. Officials in Australia have come to the same conclusion .

Nevertheless, the impact has been sweeping and dramatic. Around the world, the outages have been spiraling as companies, public bodies, and IT teams race to fix bricked machines, which involves manually taking machines through a series of corrective steps, including rebooting. In the UK, Israel, and Germany, health care services and hospitals saw systems that they use to communicate with patients disrupted, and canceled some appointments. Emergency services in the US using 911 have reportedly had problems with their lines too. In the earliest hours of the outages, some TV stations, including Sky News in the UK, stopped live news broadcasts.

Global air travel has been one of the most impacted sectors so far. Huge lines formed at airports around the world, with one airport in India using handwritten boarding passes. In the US, Delta, United, and American Airlines grounded all flights at least temporarily, with a dramatic graphic showing air traffic plummeting above the US .

The catastrophic situation reflects the fragility and deep interconnectedness of the internet. Numerous security practitioners told WIRED that they anticipated or even worked with clients to attempt to protect against a scenario where defense software itself caused cascading failures as a result of malicious exploitation or human error, as is the case with CrowdStrike. “This is an incredibly powerful illustration of our global digital vulnerabilities and the fragility of core internet infrastructure,” says Ciaran Martin, a professor at the University of Oxford and the former head of the UK’s National Cyber Security Center.

The ability of one update to trigger such massive disruption still puzzles Raiu. According to Gartner, a market research firm, CrowdStrike accounts for 14 percent of the security software market by revenue, meaning its software is on a wide array of systems. Raiu suggests that the Falcon update must have triggered crashes in other parts of web infrastructure, which could have multiplied the disaster. “CrowdStrike is big, but it can’t be this big,” Raiu says. “Airports, critical infrastructure, hospitals. It cannot be just CrowdStrike everywhere. I suspect we’re seeing a combination of factors, a cascading effect, a chain reaction.”

Hyppönen, from WithSecure, says his “guess” is that the issues may have happened due to “human error” in the update process. “An engineer at CrowdStrike is having a really bad day,” he says. Hyppönen suggests that CrowdStrike could have shipped software different to what they had been testing or mixed up files, or there could’ve been a combination of different factors. “Software like this has to go through extensive testing,” Hyppönen says. “That's what we do. That's what CrowdStrike, of course, does. You have to be really careful about what you ship, which is tough to do because security software is updated very frequently.”

While many of the impacts of the outage are ongoing and still unraveling, the nature of the problem means that individually impacted machines may need to be rebooted manually rather than through an automated process. “It could be some time for some systems that just automatically won’t recover,” CrowdStrike CEO Kurtz told NBC.

The company’s initial “ workaround ” guidance for dealing with the incident says Windows machines should be booted in a safe mode, a specific file should be deleted, and then rebooted. “The fixes we’ve seen so far mean that you have to physically go to every machine, which will take days, because it’s millions of machines around the world which are having the problem right now,” says Hyppönen from WithSecure.

As system administrators race to contain the fallout, the larger existential question of how to prevent another, similar crisis looms large.

“People may now demand changes in this operating model,” says Jake Williams, vice president of research and development at the cybersecurity consultancy Hunter Strategy. “For better or worse, CrowdStrike has just shown why pushing updates without IT intervention is unsustainable.”

Update 7/19/2024, 11am ET: Added comment from Microsoft saying that the Azure outage and the CrowdStrike issue are unrelated.

Update 7/19/2024, 12:30pm ET: Added further comment from Microsoft about its lack of oversight of CrowdStrike's updates.

Update 7/19/2024, 3:45pm ET: Updated to clarify that Amazon Web Services was not impacted by the CrowdStrike update, according to the company.

Update 7/20/2024, 9:30am ET: In an technical explanation released on Friday evening, CrowdStrike clarified that the issue causing the global IT crash was due to a problem with a configuration file that uses the .sys file extension also used by kernel drivers. However, the company clarified that it was not a kernel driver itself. We've updated the piece with the new technical details.

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Once you've got a way to access the internet, download these apps to make your trip to Japan a breeze! 1. GOOGLE MAPS. Let's get the obvious app you'll need out of the way first. If you go anywhere on your own in Japan, Google Maps are a must.
Visit Japan App?
Answer 1 of 5: I can't find the App. Only 2 apps show up in Playstore, both look suspicious , One is obviously a fake app and the other is questionable. I've looked at both developers. The Visit japan webpage has no d/l and every time I log into the... Japan. Japan Tourism Japan Hotels Japan Bed and Breakfast Japan Vacation Rentals
VISIT JAPAN WEB INFO
The ultimate Japan Web Info Guide for anyone planning a trip to Japan. With our app, you can easily navigate Japan's attractions, find the best places to eat and shop, and get in-depth tips about local customs and culture. ... Visit Japan Web assistance is the most comprehensive web service that offers individuals wishing to enter Japan or ...
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Visit Japan App?
Answer 1 of 5: I can't find the App. Only 2 apps show up in Playstore, both look suspicious , One is obviously a fake app and the other is questionable. I've looked at both developers. The Visit japan webpage has no d/l and every time I log into the... Japan. Japan Tourism Japan Hotels Bed and Breakfast Japan Japan Holiday Rentals
Visit Japan App?
I can't find the App. Only 2 apps show up in Playstore, both look suspicious , One is obviously a fake app and the other is questionable. I've looked at both developers. The Visit japan webpage has no d/l and every time I log into the webpage it asks for a code sent to the app, which I can't get. Any help would be appreciated.
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A Guide to the Visit Japan Web app and Japan Entry Procedures

Visit Japan Web

Time required to fill out and instruction manuals

Three parts to Visit Japan Web

Important tip

Important Visit Japan Web Links

Kyoto Vacation Checklist

Kyoto District Map

How to use the Visit Japan Web for Entering/Returning to Japan

What is Visit Japan Web?

How to use the Visit Japan Web before entering Japan

How to use the Visit Japan Web after arriving Japan

Airport Taxi

Clinic Nearme

Visit Japan Web procedure: A comprehensive guide

Understanding the VJW Form

Key Benefits of the VJW Form

Eligibility for the VJW Form

Steps to Fill Out the VJW Form

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BEFORE TO GO FREE GUIDE

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Visit Japan Web: How to register

Travelling to Japan? Visit Japan Web registration will save you precious time on arrival. Here's a step-by-step guide of what to do.

Visit Japan Web

Step 1: User registration

Step 2: Trip registration

Step 3: Quarantine procedures (fast-track)

Step 4: Immigration

Step 5: Customs

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Your Guide to Entering Japan Using the Visit Japan Web System – UPDATED

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The Japanese Disembarkation Card for Foreigners

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10 USEFUL APPS FOR VISITING JAPAN THAT ARE IN ENGLISH

PLANNING A TRIP TO JAPAN JUST BECOME A LOT EASIER WITH THESE 10 USEFUL APPS FOR VISITING JAPAN THAT ARE IN ENGLISH!

1. GOOGLE MAPS

2. GOOGLE TRANSLATE

3. INSTAGRAM

4. WHATSAPP OR LINE

5. ANA OR JAL

6. JAPANTAXI