Japan, China may restart mutual business travel in Oct.

Japan and China may restart its two-way business travel for both short- and long-term businesspeople as they seek to revive their economies.

Around 9.59 million Chinese visited Japan in 2019, including about 370,000 business travelers.

The numbers are the largest among all countries and regions, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said that it is extremely important that economic exchanges between Japan and China return to a recovery path through the resumption of travel. However, he did not specify a date for reaching a bilateral agreement.

Under the plan, the countries will exempt short-term business travelers from the 14-day self-isolation upon arriving provided they take necessary preventive measures against the coronavirus, including providing proof of negative test results and turning in their travel itineraries.

Expatriates, long-term residents, and visiting students are required to stay in quarantine for 14 days.

The countries have been in negotiations to reopen borders since July, encouraged by the low number of infections in their respective countries.