Is Tokyo Haneda airport (HND) closed at night and do you have to enter Japan even just for transit between countries?

Question

www.flychina.com says the following about a plane ticket:

Tue, Feb 3 12:45p - 5:15p+1day 14h 30m New York Kennedy, NY (JFK) to Tokyo Haneda, Japan (HND) Japan Airlines JL 5 · Economy Class · Boeing 777-300

Layover in HND 16h40m. Bag needs recheck.

Thu, Feb 5 9:55a - 1:50p 4h 55m Tokyo Haneda, Japan (HND) to Hong Kong, (HKG) Japan Airlines JL 29 · Economy Class · Boeing 787-8

Japan airport is closed at night, so you must enter Japan. Chinese citizens without Japan visa cannot fly this route. Overnight connection at Tokyo Haneda. Airlines usually do not offer free hotels. Call for details.

Total duration: 36h5m

But https://www.sleepinginairports.net/guides/tokyo-haneda-airport-guide.htm says:

Sleeping in Tokyo Haneda Airport

If you’re planning to camp out overnight, you’ll have to head to the International Terminal, which is open 24 hours. (Terminals 1 and 2 close between 12:00AM and 5:00AM.) Travellers report feeling safe thanks to security guards who check for IDs and boarding passes. Sleeping is a breeze with plenty of couches, benches, and seats without armrests. If you prefer to stretch out, you’ll have no problem finding carpeted areas. Some travellers find peace and quiet in restaurants that have closed for the night. Explore our guide to sleeping in Tokya Haneda Airport or read some traveller airport reviews for more tips. For uninterrupted sleep, a hotel at the International Terminal welcomes transit and non-transit guests, a budget capsule hotel is located landside in Terminal 1, and a traditional hotel connects to Terminal 2. Nearby hotels offer free shuttle service. See the Airport Hotels section below for locations.

Can one without a Japan visa stay at HND overnight or not?

Answer 1

That site seems to be adding some advice which, while well-intentioned, is either approximate or not up to date.

It is true that most airports in Japan are closed at night (most notably including NRT), but parts of HND, including Terminal 3 which is the terminal you will be arriving at and departing from, are currently open.

Also, even if you had to leave the international transit area, many passengers can get a 72 hour “shore leave” which allows them to go through passport control (details probably depend on your citizenship which you haven’t told us).

Finally, I doubt you actually have to re-check bags. They probably apply some “if layover is over 12 hours then it’s a stopover and you need to recheck bags” rule, but I would be surprised if it were indeed the case here.

It’s probably worth checking with the airline about this bag recheck requirement (and the rest), and/or check iatatravelcentre.com or traveldoc.aero with your specific details to check any visa requirements.

Answer 2

According to the Haneda Airport Website (https://tokyo-haneda.com/en/index.html )

In the frequently asked questions section (https://tokyo-haneda.com/en/faq/index.html) there is a question about if the terminals close. The answer is:

“Terminal 2 International Flights Areas and Terminal 3 are open 24 hours a day. As a general rule, the Domestic Flights areas of Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 are open 5:00-24:00. However, the Departure Lobby closes after the last flight has departed, and the Arrival Lobby closes after the last flight arrives. “ In addition the The Royal Park Hotel Tokyo Haneda (https://www.royalparkhotels.co.jp/the/tokyohaneda/transit/) has a transit passenger section that is accessible from airside. Transit hotels are explicitly intended to be used by customers who are in transit and do not want or can not exit the air side of an airport. Since you have a 16 hour layover you may be able to get a room and sleep for some time.

Overall this would suggest that you can spend your layover entirely airside. You may want to verify with JAL as well, and not completely rely on advice from strangers on the internet.