Photo/Illutration While Universal Studios Japan has lifted area-specific entry restrictions, fewer visitors than usual are seen in the park in Osaka on July 20. (Yuka Kanemoto)

OSAKA--Universal Studios Japan is once again accepting visitors from across Japan, after lifting entry restrictions on July 20 it put in place when it reopened to guard against the novel coronavirus from spreading.

But the amusement park plans to continue limiting the number of visitors to fewer than half its normal capacity on a crowded day as a preventative measure.

The park had been slowly expanding the list of areas it was accepting visitors from since reopening in early June to residents in the prefecture. 

The theme park said it is also making it easier for Tokyo residents to change the dates they booked for their tickets, allowing them to reconsider when they will visit given that the capital continues posting daily COVID-19 cases in the triple digits.

A park official said that they want Tokyo residents to decide when they will visit the park very carefully.

The amusement park extended the rescheduling period for purchasing tickets from 90 days to one year for Tokyo residents after the capital was excluded from the national government’s “Go To Travel” subsidy program due to its daily high number of new coronavirus cases.

Universal Studios Japan is at the same time bringing in new measures to prevent visitors and park staff from getting heatstroke in the hot summer months.

It set up a “mask-free zone” where visitors can take off their masks not only outside, but also inside buildings.

It has also prepared a place to provide cool beverages for staff.

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