Japan reveals sweeping new rules for tourists

Japan will join a growing global push towards mandatory travel authorisations for foreign visitors, with the rollout of a digital visa-waiver program similar to the USA’s ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation) and the forthcoming European and UK equivalents

Tentatively named JESTA, the program will apply to over 70 countries which currently enjoy hassle-free entry to Japan courtesy of a visa exemption arrangement: including Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Canada and the USA, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan, along with most European countries.

Travellers from those countries currently don’t require a visa to enter Japan and stay between 14 and 90 days – and while that won’t change, they will have to complete the online JESTA before boarding their flight. It’s expected the JESTA would be valid for several years, allowing repeat visits on the same authorisation.

How much the JESTA will cost is yet to be detailed, as the Japanese government has only just announced its intention to launch the program and have it in place by 2030.

Electronic Travel Authorisations are different from digital arrival cards, which must be completed by all incoming passengers regardless of whether or not they need a visa.

The Japanese government says the new system is intended to reduce the number of immigrants who come to Japan from visa-exempt countries and regions and remain beyond the valid period of stay.

According to the government, over half of illegal short-term visitors come from visa-exempt countries and regions. JESTA will require visa-exempt foreign nationals to reveal the reason for their visit and where they will be staying, with this information to be screened by the country’s Immigration Services Agency before being approved.

If the application is flagged as an illegal-stay risk, a JESTA will not be issued and the traveller will need to obtain a formal visa through their local Japanese embassy.

Japan has always been a popular destination for Australians, and with the Yen now at its lowest point in almost a decade – at the time of writing, A$1 buys ¥100 – this has only strengthened the country’s appeal.

According to data from the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO), some 613,100 Australians visited Japan in 2023 – equal to 98.6% of pre-pandemic levels – while the figures for the first quarter of this year show a 46.3% just compared to the same period in 2019.

“The AUD is purchasing much more JPY now compared to the lows we saw in the years leading up to the pandemic pause, and this favourable exchange rate makes Japan more affordable and accessible for Australian travellers” says JNTO Sydney office executive director, Naoki Kitazawa.

Qantas, ANA, JAL and Jetstar all offer direct flights from selected Australian capital cities to Japan, with Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific being popular airlines for travellers making a stopover, perhaps to fly somewhere other than Tokyo or Osaka.