October 30, 2020
The COVID-19 Testing Center for Overseas Travelers (TeCOT) is a system in which the government supports business overseas travelers in receiving services for smoothly obtaining a certification for a negative result of a medical test concerning the novel coronavirus disease, a document necessary for entering their destination countries or other purposes. Since its inauguration, TeCOT has only been targeting overseas business travelers who need to undergo a medical test before leaving Japan.
However, in response to the decision by the government of Japan on new measures for resuming cross-border travel, TeCOT will additionally start provision of services concerning medical tests, from November 2 (Mon.), 2020, to short-term overseas business travelers who have returned to or re-entered Japan.
Outline of TeCOT
Since October 8 (Thur.), 2020, METI, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), has been operating TeCOT as a system in which overseas business travelers are able to locate and make a reservation at a desired medical institution which provides a medical test for the novel coronavirus and issues a certification for a negative result of the test in a manner tailored to a request from their destination countries.
Outline of new measures for addressing resumption of people’s international movement
The government decided to start, from November 1 (Sun.), 2020, new measures targeting Japanese nationals residing in Japan and overseas nationals with the status of residence in Japan in which when they return to or re-enter Japan from their shot-term overseas business trips, they are eligible for a relaxation of the 14-day stay-at-home period following their return to Japan if they satisfy predetermined conditions. In line with this, when such people return to or re-enter Japan from countries or regions falling under Level 2 or lower of the MOFA’s Travel Advice and Warning on Infectious Diseases, such as China, the ROK and Singapore, they are required to: undergo a PCR test or a quantitative antigen test and obtain a certification for a negative result of such a test before leaving Japan to their destination countries or regions; or undergo a PCR test or a quantitative antigen test after having returned to or re-entered Japan.
Start of reservation of medical tests using TeCOT for short-term overseas business travelers who have returned to or re-entered Japan
Against this backdrop, from 13:00, November 2 (Mon.), 2020, TeCOT will start provision of services for short-term overseas business travelers who have returned to or re-entered Japan, supporting them to be are able to locate and make a reservation at a desired medical institution in order to undergo a PCR test or a quantitative antigen test.
