Local governments will start accepting applications for vaccination certificates, which will allow those who are vaccinated to travel more easily abroad, starting July 26.
To receive a certificate, applicants must submit their form, show their passport, and another certificate proving their vaccination status from a vaccination venue. Applications will also be accepted by mail.
The vaccine certificate, which will be printed on security paper, will be issued after confirming on the central government's Vaccination Record System (VRS) that the applicant received a COVID-19 vaccine.
For the time being, the central government is only planning to issue such certificates to those who plan to travel abroad. Some countries such as Italy and Canada are exempting visitors who can prove their vaccination history from self-isolation after entering the country or shortening the quarantine period.
The central government is in the process of asking these countries whether the Japanese vaccination certificate will be valid.
Japan currently bars foreign nationals from entering the country in principle. However, it has yet to decide whether foreign nationals with vaccination certificates will be allowed.
"We will consider [permitting foreign nationals], but we will pay attention to the discussions happening domestically and internationally, in each country and region," said Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato.
The central government expects that these new certificates will also be used domestically in the future. Some restaurants are offering discounts and other services for customers who can prove they have received a COVID-19 vaccine by showing their certificate from a vaccination venue. In June, the Japan Business Federation, known as Keidanren, also submitted a proposal to the government calling for the domestic use of certificates.
However, there is a concern that if these certifications become a requirement for enrollment or employment, it could lead to discrimination against those who did not want to be vaccinated or could not be vaccinated because of an illness or other reasons. A senior Foreign Affairs Ministry official said the spread of the vaccination certificates would inevitably lead to it being used for unintended purposes, and such uses could not be banned. Others in the central government share similar views.
As a result, the central government plans to ask the public to avoid using any type of certificate related to COVID-19 vaccinations in ways that would be disadvantageous to those who are not vaccinated.
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