FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

• Vitality understands and meets all the requirements for certificate of testing for entering Japan.
• Trusted partner of multiple Japanese communities and ANA travel agencies
• Multiple Locations in Chicago, Arlington Heights and Naperville
• We specialize in countries with complex documentation requirements like Japan
• Custom documentation in Japanese format are provided at no additional cost “Japan Certificate “
• FDA Authorized Testing  Technologies
• Guaranteed Timely Results
• Mobile testing available – we can come to your home or office/site
• Available for both individuals and groups

A certificate, whether in paper (including a copy) or electronic media, is valid as long as it can
be verified that all of the items to be included in the certificate are satisfied. However, a
certificate will not be valid if the contents can be changed by the applicant (e.g., Word, Excel,
e-mail text, etc.) or if the items required to verify the certificate (specimen, test method, etc.)
are indistinct.
To avoid confusion at check-in counters and other on-site locations at each airport, we strongly
encourage to use the “Fast Track” method of pre-screening.
If you do not use “Fast Track”, we request you to use the template provided by the MHLW.

Information obtained from:  Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan Website

Japan request that children also obtain a certificate.
However, in consideration of the fact that many countries do not test preschool-aged children
as part of their system, children (generally under the age of 6) do not need to have a certificate,
as long as they are accompanied by caregivers, including parents who obtain negative testing
certificates.

Information obtained from:  Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan Website

Case A transiting through a country without immigration procedures.

Case B transiting through a country where immigration procedures are required by the domestic law.

For the case A, the starting point to count “72 hours before departure” will be the time you leave
a country from which the passenger originally departed.
For the case B, if you go out of the airport, or stay at the hotel located outside of the airport
upon transition, the starting point to count “72 hours before departure” will be the time you
leave a transit country you originally departed. Therefore, if 72 hours have passed since you
obtained a certificate at a departure country before you leave the transit country, you need to be
tested again to obtain a certificate in the transit country.
However, if you stay in the airport upon transition, the starting point to count “72 hours before
departure” will be the time you leave a departure country, which means you are not required to
obtain a certificate again at a transition country.
For example, if you travel from Sweden to Japan, transiting through Germany, the starting point
to count “72 hours before departure” will be the departure time from the airport of Sweden. If
you travel from Brazil to Japan, transiting through Mexico and the U.S.(which requires
immigration procedures), the starting point to count “72 hours before departure” will be the
departure time from the airport of Brazil, only if you don’t go out of the airport upon transition
through the U.S.

Information obtained from:  Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan Website

If the flight after the change is within 96 hours from the date and time of specimen collection,
it is not necessary to obtain the certificate again and you may board the aircraft.
On the other hand, if the time of departure after the change is over 96 hours from the date and
time of specimen collection, you are required to obtain a new certificate from the perspective
of quarantine measures.

Great News!

“Nasal Swab” has been added to the list of valid specimens for travelers arriving in Japan after midnight (Japan time) on March 9, 2022, as a valid specimen for pre-departure testing of travelers to Japan.

The specimens required for the certificate at the time of entry into Japan are the same as the
specimens recommended for testing asymptomatic persons in Japan. The recommended
specimens for testing asymptomatic persons are listed in the Guidelines for Testing for
Pathogens of Novel Coronavirus Infections (https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/000747986.pdf),
and currently include “Nasal – non invasive ( Newly authorized as of 03.09.2022), nasopharyngeal swabs” and “saliva”.
an approval by the Council of the MHLW on June 25, 2021, as a valid specimen for predeparture testing of travelers to Japan.

Information obtained from:  Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan Website

Vitality team understands the strict Japan requirements for international travel. The methods below are acceptable for travelers between USA to Japan.

• Rapid nicking enzyme amplification reaction (NEAR) Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT) technology  – ID Now by Abbott. Results < 1 hour.
• RAPID Automated RT-PCR, NAAT. Results < 2 hours.
• RT-PCR (NAAT). Results < 8 hours.
• RT-PCR (NAAT). Results < 24 hours.

Sample collection method is valid only for one of the following.
Nasopharyngeal Swab／Nasal Swab※／Saliva／Nasopharyngeal and Oropharyngeal Swabs
※Nasal Swab is valid when the test method is Nucleic Acid Amplification (NAAT) .

Vitality has both of the above mentioned test which are  NEAR and Rapid as well as  conventional RT-PCR’s.

* We selected this particular technology for Japan Pre-Travel testing due to it being highly accurate and accepted by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA).

We are a trusted partner of multiple Japanese communities and Travel Agencies. Vitality understand the strict requirements for pre-travel between US & Japan and fill the documents in prescribed format at no additional cost.

We also fill at no additional cost the most recent specific Japanese certificate of Testing for COVID-19 required by the Japanese government for entry, including our physician’s signature and clinic imprint / stamp.

A custom result report with your identifying information verifying the testing methodology and the lab’s certifications, in addition to re-stating your test result.

Vitality Urgent Care and its affiliates accommodate patients of all ages.

We ask that an appointment be made in advance to reduce wait times and ensure accurate availability. You may schedule a same-day appointment through our website or over the phone by calling 224-601-5001. We are able to accommodate most last-minute requests as well.