Short-Term Stays in Japan – Visa application for tourism and business in 2023

What is a short-term stay?

According to Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs “A stay of up to 90 days for tourism, business, visiting friends or relatives, etc. that does not include remunerative activities” is classified as a short-term stay. This covers the vast majority of tourist visits and regular business trips to Japan. Depending on your country of citizenship, you may be exempt from having a visa or might require an application to Japanese embassy or consulate in your home country.

Visa exemption arrangements

Before covid-19 ran amok all over the world, Japan offered seamless entry with visa exemptions for short-term stays for 68 countries. This process meant that most visitors only needed to book a flight, arrive in Japan with their passport, and they would be granted access for usually 90 days. It was very convenient, and appreciated by both tourists and business visitors. This simple process is what helped Japan to be one of the most popular global tourism destinations. Prior to Covid-19, Japan was welcoming more than 30 millions visitors per year.

As of October 11th, 2022, the prior visa exemption arrangements have been put back in place. It is no longer required to apply for short-term visas for citizens of those countries.

How can I apply for a short-term Japan visa if I don’t have an exemption?

Currently, the application process for a Japan visa depends on your country of citizenship. If you are not one of the 68 countries accepted under the visa exemption arrangements, you will need to apply for a short-term tourist, business, or other visa.

• Countries requiring Visa – the countries of China, Russia, CIS countries, Georgia, Philippines, Vietnam, and other Nationalities continue to have specific visa requirements in order to enter Japan.

The current process to apply for a short-term visa to Japan has been documented in a procedural chart by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This shows both the requirements of the Visa Applicant and the person inviting the applicant to Japan.

What is a Japan eVISA?

During the suspension of the visa exemption program, Japan implemented a visa application program for foreign nationals wishing to enter Japan. The Japan eVISA has been setup to accept online visa applications for Canadian nationals residing in Canada, American nationals residing in the U.S. , and Holders of Taiwan passport who reside in Taiwan. This is a fairly small selection of countries, but it likely reflect the reciprocal visa policies and application process of these countries for Japanese visitors.

As visa exemption arrangements have returned, it is no longer necessary to apply for a Japan eVisa anymore.