As Japan enters its busy “golden week” holiday period, the country has lifted its COVID-19 border measures, allowing all arrivals to enter without proof of vaccination or negative test results. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced visitors are no longer required to submit vaccination records or test results, and Japan has scrapped its random testing requirement for visitors from China. The country will also downgrade the legal status of COVID-19 from a special category equivalent to Class 2 to that of a seasonal flu on May 8, eliminating quarantine rules. Experts warn of a potential ninth wave of infections.