Latest news with #JESTA
Asahi Shimbun
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Asahi Shimbun
Japan to adopt U.S.-style entry system for foreign visitors
Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki explains the proposed Electronic System for Travel Authorization program at his May 23 news conference. (Yuki Nikaido) The government announced plans to introduce more rigorous online screening to root out undesirable foreign visitors and eventually reduce the number of illegal aliens in Japan to zero. Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki told a May 23 news conference that 'strong measures' were needed, citing public disquiet over a barrage of media reports about foreign visitors behaving badly. The Japanese version of the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) that was introduced in the United States in 2009 will be up and running in fiscal 2028. Canada and New Zealand operate a similar program, and the European Union is planning to introduce its own version in 2026. The Japanese system consists of seven major policy planks intended to prevent foreign nationals with criminal records from entering Japan as well as to swiftly deport those who have been denied refugee status. Records show there were 2,122 foreign nationals at the end of 2024 who had received final confirmation for deportation. One goal of the plan announced May 23 is to halve that number by the end of fiscal 2030, according to the Immigration Services Agency. Under JESTA, prospective visitors to Japan from 71 nations and regions who are exempted from visas for short pleasure or business trips will have to apply online beforehand. Immigration authorities will check whether applicants have a criminal record or previously were in Japan illegally. Those who do not receive authorization will not be allowed to board flights bound for Japan. The ministry is expected to expand the program to cover those who might arrive by sea to enter Japan. DOUBTS ABOUT PROGRAM RAISED Just how effective JESTA will be in reducing the number of illegal aliens is already open to question. Naoko Hashimoto, an associate professor of international refugee law at International Christian University in Tokyo, accepted that there is a need for policies to reduce the number of illegal aliens. However, she pointed out that those who end up with that status may not necessarily come from nations that are exempted from visas for short-term visits. She said the government may be needlessly stirring up public emotions about unruly foreign elements by implementing policies based on impression rather than statistics. 'The number of crimes committed by foreigners has remained the same in recent years and the government has not released figures for the visa status of those arrested,' she added. Another component of the electronic screening system is to more swiftly process refugee applications, an area in which Japan has been heavily criticized for not allowing more people to settle. In 2015, the Immigration Services Agency classified refugee applications into four categories. Since 2018, for example, those who ended up in the case B file, meaning they were clearly not refugees, remained ineligible for the 'designated activities' visa. In 2018, case B applications made up about 20 percent of all applications, but that figure had been reduced to 0.6 percent in 2024. Agency officials said the sharp decrease may be due to applications being classified as case D, a dumping ground for all others that do not neatly go into the other three cases, rather than case B. As a result, immigration authorities decided to review how case B applications are decided. Suzuki said applications that are found to contain erroneous information or were deliberately misused will be swiftly classified as case B to increase the number of individuals denied the designated activities visa. That, in his view, will deter rank dishonesty in filling out applications. In the past, case B applications concerned people facing economic difficulties or who cited vague unease with the policies of their home government or were not considered in danger of having their rights violated. Agency officials declined to divulge what the new conditions would be in deciding case B applications on grounds publicizing that information would only lead to more applications submitted with the intention of avoiding a case B decision. The ICU's Hashimoto pointed out that the move to expand the number of case B decisions would lead to an increase of illegal aliens, thereby contradicting the program's stated goal. Another aspect of the plan will be to increase government funding to allow immigration marshals to escort deportees back to their native land. Individuals who have made at least three failed refugee applications or have a record of committing major crimes would be covered under the program. Authorities said 249 deportees were escorted back to their homeland by air marshals in 2024. They said the government is seeking to double that figure in three years. 'I have doubts as to whether the plan to improve immigration control will be an effective strategy in the medium- to long-term,' Hashimoto said.
Nikkei Asia
23-05-2025
- Business
- Nikkei Asia
Japan to introduce US-style online visitor entry system in FY2028
TOKYO -- The Japanese government will introduce an online travel authorization system for foreigners, akin to the U.S. Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or ESTA, as it seeks to strengthen checks on foreigners entering the country amid a tourism boom. Dubbed JESTA, travelers from 71 countries and regions exempt from short-term visas will need to provide, before they travel, information such as their occupation, purpose of travel, and where they will stay.
Japan Forward
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Japan Forward
Visa Screening for Foreign Nationals Moved Up to 2028
このページを 日本語 で読む On April 23, Minister of Justice Keisuke Suzuki announced during a session of the House of Representatives Committee on Judicial Affairs that the government plans to accelerate the launch of a new visa pre-screening system. The system will apply to visa-exempt foreign tourists and assess their eligibility before they travel to Japan. Officials now plan to introduce it in fiscal year 2028, moving up the original 2030 schedule. "We intend to speed up system development and roll it out within fiscal year 2028," Suzuki said in response to a question from Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lawmaker Hideyuki Nakano. He explained that the move is meant to address the sharp increase in foreign visitors to Japan. Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) House of Representatives member Hideyuki Nakano. Tentatively named JESTA, the system will require travelers from visa-exempt countries to submit their travel details online in advance. This includes information such as the purpose of their visit and where they plan to stay, allowing authorities to screen applicants before they depart for Japan. The name is based on ESTA, which refers to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization used by the United States. It screens travelers from visa-waiver countries before they board a flight, helping to prevent entry by individuals considered high-risk. Minister Suzuki explained that JESTA is "designed to prevent the entry of undesirable foreign nationals, including terrorists and those likely to overstay their visas." He stressed that the system will strengthen Japan's immigration and residency controls and "streamline the immigration screening process." Foreign nationals typically obtain visas after undergoing screening in their home countries, but Japan currently waives short-term tourist visa requirements for travelers from 71 countries and regions, including Turkey. However, there are ongoing cases where individuals enter under the guise of tourism and remain illegally. As of January 2024, out of 49,801 people illegally staying in Japan on short-term visits, over 28,000 were from visa-exempt countries. Regarding the JESTA rollout, some lawmakers have raised concerns about delays. LDP lawmaker Akihisa Shiozaki commented, "While it can help identify high-risk travelers, implementation is taking far too long." Author: Shimpei Okuhara, The Sankei Shimbun このページを 日本語 で読む
