Abdullah Al Rushud

MAKKAH: At this time of the year, Makkah welcomes people from all over the world wearing ihram and participating in the rituals of pilgrimage.

Pilgrimage is considered one of the five pillars of Islam, and according to the religion, every Muslim in good health and with financial means should perform it at least once in their lifetime.

The annual pilgrimage to Makkah is considered the largest gathering of people in the world, and the portal of the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah previously announced that only citizens and foreign residents of Saudi Arabia would be allowed to attend.

However, with the improvement of the COVID-19 situation and its effects and upon taking the necessary precautions, the number of pilgrims was increased to 1 million and participation was extended to visitors coming from abroad. Only those under 65 years of age and fully vaccinated are allowed to take part in the pilgrimage, and the 850,000 participants from outside Saudi Arabia selected by lottery from millions of online applicants will be required to submit a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours before leaving their home country.

The ties between Japan and Saudi Arabia began with pilgrimages, with Kotaro Yamaoka becoming the first Japanese to make the journey to Mecca in 1909, followed by Ippei Tanaka in 1924, and Shozo Kori, Tsuyoshi Suzuki, Susumu Hosokawa, Taro Yamamoto, and Momotaro Enomoto from 1935 to 1939.