
TOKYO -- Japan's decision to loosen border controls is expected to buoy an economy facing headwinds, as inbound tourism recovers with the aid of a weak yen.
Starting Oct. 11, Japan will open its doors to individual tourists and resume visa-free entry for short-term travelers, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Thursday in New York. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, 90% of visitors to Japan came for tourism -- and of these, independent travelers accounted for 80%.