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After almost three years, Japan will fully open its borders again to foreign independent tourists and other arrivals on Tuesday — a move that many hope will galvanize the economy and kickstart the country’s post-pandemic recovery.

But having arrived at this stage via staggered increments, it can still be a little confusing for those outside Japan — many of whom have lost work or school opportunities, struggled to maintain long-distance relationships, or simply found themselves unable to enjoy a culture that they love — to figure out just how open the country will become.

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