Japan Will Begin Using US-Style Electronic Authorization Process

Visiting Japan will get slightly more complex in the coming years.

The country is preparing to introduce a new travel authorization system in 2030 that will require visitors to declare personal information online in order to obtain permission to enter the country, Japan Today has reported.

The new system is not all that unlike what the United States uses for foreign visitors, according to media reports. Individuals seeking to visit the United States, for instance, must use the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), which was rolled out as an anti-terrorism security measure.

ESTA is used to assess whether a traveler is eligible to visit the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program, before the individual gets on a plane to come here.

In a similar fashion, the new program being introduced for those seeking to visit Japan, dubbed JESTA, is also meant to screen individuals before they embark on a journey to Japan, per Japan Today.

Introduction of the JESTA program in Japan marks a departure from the easy breezy process visitors from 71 visa-exempt countries have experienced for years. Those from visa-exempt countries have historically been able to make short-stay visits without requiring any visa documents.

The Japanese government has said their goal is to reduce the entry of illegal immigrants who come from visa-exempt countries and stay longer than is allowed.

Data from the Japanese government shows that of the 49,801 illegal short-term visitors to the country in January 2016, more than 28,000 arrived from visa-exempt countries and regions, according to Japan Today.

Under the forthcoming JESTA program, visa-exempt foreign travelers will be required to declare their purpose of entry and place of stay online for screening by immigration officials before getting on a plane to come to Japan.

And in cases where the online application is flagged for risk of illegal stay, the individual will not be approved to visit Japan. Instead, the traveler will be encouraged to obtain a formal visa through their local embassy in order to visit.

The Japanese government will continue researching the proposed JESTA program over the coming year.

---

For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.

Topics From This Article to Explore