Covid-19 keeps spreading around the world.

The governments launching lockdowns and light lock-downs (like in Germany) but the wave of Covid-19 seems unstoppable. Even Germany which had been less affected by Covid now goes into the hard lockdown over Dec and possibly Jan.

In this pandemic, you must have heard PCR test a lot. Do you know how much to do it in Japan normally?

It is average 20000JPY (around 200USD) . Unless you have a ground to take the test, the insurance does not cover it.

Today one newly opened clinic in Shinbashi announced they would do it for less 30USD (2500JPY excl. tax).

We keep you updated about the venues where you can get cheap PCR test in Japan. 

Shingata Corona PCR kensa center

The name is "Shingata Corona PCR kensa center" run by Kinoshita group. The company also plans to open a new clinic in Kabukicho, Shinjuku.

We saw many people waiting in line in front of this shop. The company says it can process 780 people in one day. We wonder if this is the case...

The official website

Now we expect to see more and more similar places popping up in Japan.

You can see the full list of cheap PCR test locations in Japan from here.

So where is it exactly? And how to reserve it?

The address : (On west side) 1st floor of New Shinbashi building, 2-chōme-16-1 ShinbashiMinato City, Tokyo 105-0004

You need to book in advance from this link. As of 8th Dec, 2020, the site is quite busy. 

Once you booked this cheap PCR test online, you go there. 

The test only lasts as a matter of 5 mins (the news say 3 minutes but you should have some buffer.). 

There are the reception and the testing counter. You go in and get the PCR test tool from the reception. You bring that tool to the testing counter where your saliva will be taken as the test sample.

Usually you get the result next day. 

Saliva method is far better than the "nose" method. With the nose method, the test staff will put the long pole in both of your nose holes! Painful.

Obviously the pro is that being quite cheap.

But the biggest con is that if you want to use the result for the official reason such as the entry permit of some country, many countries would not accept this result. Instead, you must go to a designated test organization. Even though the company says it provides the doctor diagnose for 6000JPY, many governments would not accept it.

So if you want to use it for an official purpose, you must consult the authority if it is possible to use this cheap PCR test. 

The Japanese government concern

The government in Japan also is worried that the statistic of infected cases may be impacted by these private test services as they lose track of the infected cases if the test taker does not report to the authority.

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