Social media platforms have been flooded with posts claiming that Japan has "banned the entry of Israelis" or closed its doors to Israeli tourists following the war in Gaza.
According to an Israel Hayom investigation, this information is false. There has been no change to the official policy of the Japanese government, and no entry ban, visa waiver cancellation, or unique restrictions on Israeli citizens have been announced.
Breaking:
Japan officially bans all Israeli tourists from entering the country, citing Israeli atrocities in Gaza . pic.twitter.com/V4WtCmN8uS
— Mega-Politics (@_MegaPolitics) December 20, 2025
The false information apparently stems from a recent incident – a hotel in Nagano Prefecture in central Japan refused to accept a booking from an Israeli travel agency, citing dissatisfaction with Israel's actions toward Palestinians. According to reports, during contacts with the Israeli agency, the hotel management indicated that its decision stemmed from its political position regarding the war in Gaza.
Following the incident, the Israeli Embassy in Tokyo contacted local authorities in Nagano Prefecture, demanding that the incident be investigated and clarifying whether this constitutes a violation of Japanese law.
After an initial investigation, the Nagano Prefecture government issued a verbal warning to the hotel operators and clarified that refusing to accept guests based on nationality could be considered prohibited discrimination, contrary to guidelines practiced in Japan.
The incident joins another event that sparked controversy earlier this year, when a hotel in Kyoto demanded that an Israeli tourist sign a declaration that he had not been involved in war crimes during his military service – a condition that was disqualified after the authorities intervened.
The incidents are occurring against the backdrop of growing public protest in Japan against the fighting in Gaza, including demonstrations and civilian initiatives, but they have no expression in the country's immigration or tourism policy.
