Last year, Japan recorded its highest-ever foreign tourist arrivals at 36.87 million, with 506,800 of them Malaysians, the most tourist arrivals the Land of the Rising Sun has ever seen from our country.
With that in mind, the Government of Japan recently announced a new policy that would affect Malaysian travellers, as the country is making it mandatory for visa-free travellers to undergo pre-screening several days before arrival.
Japan requires visa-free travellers, including Malaysians, to undergo pre-screening starting in 2028
As reported by the Japan-based publication Kyodo News, the pre-arrival screening of visa-free travellers will be implemented starting in 2028 and is modelled after the United States’ Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA).
Under the new system, foreign travellers visiting Japan with visa exemptions for short-term stays will be required to provide travel and personal information at least several days before their arrival. These include name, purpose of stay and location of stay.
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Additionally, with the new policy, the Immigration Services Agency of Japan will be able to examine the travellers’ data in advance.
Should the traveller have any criminal history or record of illegal stays in Japan, the agency may not allow them to board planes to Japan.
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For context, the Government of Japan currently allows Malaysians to visit the country visa-free for a short-term stay of not more than 90 days for the purpose of tourism, transit, business meetings, as well as visiting friends and relatives in the country.
Hence, Malaysians will be subjected to the new pre-screening requirement when it’s implemented, as our country is part of the 71 countries and regions that are exempted from obtaining visas for short-term stays.
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So, what do you guys think of this new pre-screening requirement that the Government of Japan will implement in 2028? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.Â
