Japanese ESTA Advances to FY ’28 Implementation; Target Moves 2 Years Ahead of Previous Plan

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:39 JST, April 24, 2025

The government will introduce an online system for the prescreening of foreign nationals prior to their entry to Japan by fiscal 2028, starting two years earlier than the previous target of 2030, Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki said Wednesday.

The system is a Japanese version of ESTA, or Electronic System for Travel Authorization, currently implemented by the United States and other countries. The planned Japanese system will require potential visitors from countries and regions exempt from needing short-stay visas for tourism to apply online prior to their planned trip. Travelers will submit their name, purpose of entry and other information in an application form.

This is intended to prevent foreigners whose purpose of entry is to stay illegally or commit terrorist acts from entering Japan, as well as reduce the burden of immigration screenings.

The government has set a goal of increasing the number of foreign visitors to 60 million by 2030, and the previous plan was to introduce the Japanese version of ESTA by the same year.

“It is essential to introduce the system as soon as possible to tighten [immigration control] and smoothen the screening processes,” Suzuki said at a meeting of the House of Representatives Judicial Affairs Committee on Wednesday.