Japan is set to implement a new travel authorisation system for
citizens from 71 visa-exempt countries, including Malaysia, Singapore,
Indonesia, Thailand, South Korea, Britain, the United States, and
Australia.
According to a report by Japan Today, the system will
require travellers to submit personal information online before entering
Japan. The Japanese government aims to launch the system by 2030, with
costs to be allocated in the next budget.
The new process will resemble the US Electronic System for Travel
Authorisation (ESTA) and aims to reduce the number of illegal immigrants
staying beyond their allowed period. Travellers will be required to
declare their purpose of visit and place of stay, which will be screened
by Japan’s Immigration Services Agency.
Those flagged as potential overstay risks will be denied
authorisation and encouraged to apply for a formal visa through their
local embassy.
Currently, airlines provide passenger data for screening after
departure, allowing some travellers who fail the checks to enter Japan.
However, under the new system, entry will be blocked before departure.
Japan saw over 17.7 million visitors between January and June 2024,
including 22,000 from Malaysia, according to JTB Tourism Research and
Consulting Co. The government has highlighted that visa-exempt
travellers make up a significant portion of illegal overstays, with more
than 28,000 of the 49,801 illegal visitors recorded in 2016 coming from
visa-exempt regions.