Politics & Government

Japan, ROK to Open Fast-Track Airport Immigration Lines; Bilateral Benefit Marks Anniversary of Diplomatic Ties

Yomiuri Shimbun file photo
Flags of Japan and South Korea

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:24 JST, May 22, 2025

Fast-track immigration control lanes will be introduced at two airports in Japan and another two in South Korea for each other’s citizens for one month, the Japanese government said Wednesday.

The lanes will be introduced for the month of June at Haneda and Fukuoka airports as well as Gimpo International Airport in Seoul and Gimhae International Airport in Busan.

The move is part of efforts to facilitate immigration procedures between the two countries, thereby promoting exchanges and strengthening relations as this year marks the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Passengers who have entered the countries at least once in the past year and their family members on flights arriving at the airports between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. are eligible for the priority lanes. Advance entry procedures online are required.

At Haneda and Gimpo airports, the dedicated lanes will be available only for passengers on flights of All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines, Korean Air and Asiana Airlines.

This will be the first time for Japan to establish dedicated lanes for people of a specific nationality at its airports. Although immigration procedures will be conducted as usual in Japan, this move is expected to help alleviate congestion caused by the increase in the number of foreign visitors.

At a meeting in September last year, then Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and then South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol agreed to introduce the lanes in conjunction with the 60th anniversary. The measure will be introduced for the month of June because June 22 marks the anniversary of the signing of the Japan-South Korea basic relations treaty that normalized the bilateral diplomatic ties in 1965.

Japan and South Korea have become each other’s most popular tourist destination, with about 8.81 million South Koreans visiting Japan and about 3.22 million Japanese visiting South Korea in 2024.