Singapore, Japan move forward on resumption of essential business travel

SINGAPORE - Singapore and Japan made some progress in the resumption of essential business travel during the official visit of Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi to Singapore from Aug 12 to 14.

Vivian Balakrishnan, minister for foreign affairs of Singapore, and Motegi welcomed the ongoing negotiations on the setting up of a "Residence Track" as early as September 2020, according to a joint press release issued on Thursday.

This will provide for a special quota of cross-border travel by business executives and business professionals with the necessary public health safeguards, including the 14-day stay home notice upon arrival in the respective countries.

The ministers also agreed on the major points on the Business Track, in which short-term business travelers will be subject to a controlled itinerary for the first 14 days, with the necessary public health safeguards. They tasked officials to finalize the agreement by early September 2020, with Singapore being amongst one of the first countries with which Japan will begin this exchange of business travelers.