Japan is set to accelerate the introduction of an electronic travel authorisation that will require visitors from dozens of countries to apply for permission to travel in advance of their trip to the East Asian island nation.
The new system, dubbed JESTA (Japan Electronic System for Travel Authorization), is similar to other pre-authorisation systems around the world and is expected to be brought in for citizens of the 71 countries that currently benefit from visa exemptions for trips of between 15 and 90 days.
Countries affected
Currently, nationals of the following 71 countries can stay in Japan for up to 90 days without a visa (with some exceptions).
Countries with standard 90-day stay
Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Saint Marin, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tunisia, Türkiye, United Kingdom, United States, and Uruguay.
Countries with shorter stay duration
- 30 days: Brunei, Qatar, United Arab Emirates
- 15 days: Indonesia and Thailand
Announced by Prime Minister Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on 18 March 2025 at the country’s 26th Ministerial Council on the Promotion of Japan as a Tourism-Oriented Country, the change is designed to reduce bureaucracy around immigration procedures, strengthen border security, and give Japan better insights into potential tourist numbers before their arrival.
Importance of regional tourism
Japan, once considered an isolated and relatively closed nation, has been pursuing a pro-tourism strategy that has resulted in record tourist arrivals in recent years. Combined with a so-called post-COVID “revenge travel” surge, the policy has been so successful in attracting visitors that destinations across the country have had to bring in measures to address the negative effects of over-tourism. Hiking fees for popular Mount Fuji trails, tourist levies at Torii shrines, notices to protect the privacy of geisha communities in Kyoto, and barriers to discourage jaywalking at photogenic spots are among the measures already put in place.
Despite those concerns, ambitious targets to bring in 60 million foreign visitors by 2030 remain active. As well as calling for efforts to develop “aviation networks and secondary transportation, and move up the timing of the introduction of the Japanese version of ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization),” Ishiba reiterated the importance of spreading tourist footfall to lesser-known areas of the country. “It is essential that regional areas can enjoy the benefit of attracting inbound tourists. As such, I request that you work to advance the smart tourism industry that creates high added value and generate profits, while implementing measures to prevent and curb overtourism,” he said.
