Japan Plans JESTA Travel Authorization for Visa-Free Visitors by Fiscal 2028

Online Approval Will Become Part of Planning a Japan Trip

Japan plans to introduce the Japan Electronic System for Travel Authorization, known as JESTA, in fiscal 2028, requiring visitors from 71 countries and territories that currently enjoy visa exemptions to obtain online approval before boarding flights to the country. The planned launch falls between April 2028 and March 2029.

In March 2026, the Cabinet approved a bill to revise the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Law. The legislation would introduce digital screening before departure and raise the legal ceilings on several immigration fees paid by foreign residents. As of March 17, the government's preparations point to a substantial change in how both visitors and residents arrange their travel and immigration paperwork.

Tourists from countries including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand would retain access to travel without a visa, but would need to complete an additional authorization process. Airlines would check that approval before allowing passengers to board.

Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki confirmed the system's official abbreviation at a press conference. He explained that the government had settled on JESTA after previously using a name based on the United States' travel authorization system.

We have decided on an official abbreviation for the electronic travel authorization system," Suzuki stated. "Referring to examples from other countries, we had previously called it the Japanese ESTA, but we have now adopted the English abbreviation JESTA.

The government presents the system as a way to strengthen immigration oversight while speeding entry procedures for visitors who meet the requirements. For travelers, the practical change is straightforward: a trip that currently requires no advance visa application would require digital clearance before departure.

What Travelers Would Submit and Pay

JESTA applicants would complete an online form with personal details, passport information, travel history and accommodation plans. Japanese authorities would compare that information with criminal records, deportation histories and other immigration databases before deciding whether to grant authorization.

Screening before departure moves part of the immigration process to the period when a traveler is still arranging a trip. Instead of waiting until someone reaches a Japanese airport to review these details, authorities would examine them before the person boards a flight.

Approved travelers are expected to receive electronic authorization valid for two to three years, according to current projections. The proposed application fee is estimated at 2,000 to 3,000 yen, described as approximately $20 or CAD 18 to CAD 27. The final price, validity period, detailed eligibility rules and application procedures await official confirmation.

Canada's electronic travel authorization, or eTA, remains valid for five years. Japan's projected period of two to three years would therefore require travelers to renew their authorization more frequently than under the Canadian system.

Airlines would have a central enforcement role. They would verify that passengers hold valid JESTA authorization before boarding and refuse boarding to those without approval. This shifts an important compliance check from immigration officers at Japanese airports to airline staff at departure points around the world.

Carriers that fail to verify authorization could face sanctions. The Japanese model draws on the United States' ESTA framework, with similar personal disclosures and comparable penalties for failing to comply. The prospect of sanctions gives airlines a direct reason to check passenger eligibility carefully.

Which Countries and Territories Would Be Affected?

Japan's planned system covers visitors from 71 countries and territories with visa exemptions. Major tourism markets affected include the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, as well as all European Union member states.

The countries and territories named in the plan also include Andorra, Argentina, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Saint Marin, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Uruguay.

Visitors from these places currently make short visits to Japan without obtaining a visa in advance. Under JESTA, they would need to register digitally and receive approval before traveling. That changes the preparation required for holidays and business visits, even while the underlying visa exemption continues.

Why the Government Is Bringing Screening Forward

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has placed JESTA within her broader national security agenda. She has described its purpose as preventing the entry of undesirable foreign nationals while allowing smoother entry for visitors who comply with Japan's rules.

In a policy speech to the National Diet, Japan's parliament, Takaichi addressed public concern about illegal acts and rule violations by certain foreign nationals. She linked those concerns to immigration and residency management and said the government would strengthen its controls.

We are aware that issues such as illegal stays have been reported in immigration and residency management, and that anxiety among the Japanese public is increasing. In response to this, we will strengthen immigration control systems.

The government has moved the intended introduction forward from an initial target of 2030 to fiscal 2028. Officials want authorities to identify potential security risks before travelers reach Japan, while also addressing illegal employment, visa overstays and lengthy procedures for determining refugee status.

Japan's tourism growth adds pressure to manage arrivals efficiently. The country welcomed 36.9 million foreign visitors in 2024, exceeding the previous peak of 31.9 million in 2019. The new authorization system is intended to combine earlier checks with quicker entry procedures for legitimate visitors.

JESTA therefore sits at the meeting point of two government priorities: handling a large volume of international travel and tightening immigration oversight. Its central mechanism is to collect and review information earlier, with airlines enforcing the requirement before passengers depart.

Higher Fee Ceilings Would Also Affect Foreign Residents

Foreign residents face a different financial change under the proposed legislation. The government plans to raise the upper limits on immigration fees for the first time in 44 years, affecting applications to change or renew a status of residence and applications for permanent residency.

The maximum fee for changing or renewing a visa would rise from 10,000 yen to 100,000 yen. The ceiling for permanent residency applications would increase from 10,000 yen to 300,000 yen. A legal ceiling is the highest amount the government can charge; the actual fee depends on the fee schedule set within that limit.

Actual charges are expected to vary according to the length of stay. Shorter stays could cost around 10,000 yen, while visas covering five years could cost approximately 70,000 yen. These amounts would make the duration of permission to stay an important part of the cost for residents renewing their paperwork.

Japan has roughly 4.13 million foreign residents. For people seeking permanent residency in particular, the planned changes could create a substantial expense, with fees potentially increasing twentyfold from current levels. That projected increase concerns the amount applicants could actually pay, alongside the proposed 300,000 yen legal ceiling.

The resident fee changes are separate from the estimated JESTA charge of 2,000 to 3,000 yen for eligible visitors. Both appear within the wider immigration policy changes, but they apply to different applications and different groups of people.

Where the Additional Revenue Would Go

The government projects approximately 225 billion yen, or $1.45 billion, in annual revenue by fiscal 2026. The proposed spending includes programs for foreign residents, such as Japanese language education and orientation services that help people understand life and procedures in Japan.

About 60% of projected revenue is earmarked for services for foreign residents. The remaining 40% would support other policy initiatives, including free high school tuition. The spending plan therefore extends beyond immigration administration itself.

The revenue projection refers to fiscal 2026, while the intended JESTA launch is fiscal 2028. Those dates place the financial changes and the introduction of visitor authorization on different schedules within the government's broader plans.

For residents, the policy combines higher application costs with planned funding for language instruction and orientation. For visitors, the immediate financial issue is the separate authorization fee they would pay when applying for JESTA.

Some Transit and Cruise Passengers Would Face Checks

Japanese authorities also plan to apply JESTA screening to certain transit passengers and cruise ship travelers. This expands the system beyond the usual traveler flying to Japan for a short visit.

The proposed checks would include certain passengers from countries whose citizens need visas for short stays in Japan. They would also cover passengers from visa exempt countries with high rates of entry denials, including Thailand and Turkey.

Officials have identified transit stops as a route through which some individuals may enter Japan without proper authorization. The government is considering exemptions for particular routes, especially passengers traveling onward to the United States, which already operates its own screening requirements before departure.

Cruise passengers using simplified landing procedures would also face the new requirements. Cruise operators would have to report passenger details and deny boarding to travelers who lack authorization.

The transit and cruise proposals extend the same basic approach used for airline arrivals: collect information before travel and make the carrier responsible for checking approval. Their inclusion broadens the range of journeys affected, including some in which Japan is a stop along the route rather than the final destination.

How JESTA Compares With Other Travel Systems

The United States introduced its Electronic System for Travel Authorization, known as ESTA, in 2009. Japan's planned system follows that model by requiring travelers who qualify for visa exemptions to submit information and obtain clearance before departure.

Canada uses eTA, the United Kingdom has ETA, and Australia operates digital screening programs. Europe is expected to introduce the European Travel Information and Authorization System, or ETIAS, in 2026. Japan's plan places it within this wider move toward digital border management.

These systems share several objectives: checking travelers before departure, reducing queues during immigration processing and collecting revenue to support border infrastructure. JESTA is intended to serve those purposes while addressing the immigration concerns identified by the Japanese government.

The closest comparison in the Japanese plan is with the United States' ESTA, particularly the personal information requested and the responsibility placed on carriers. Canada's five years of validity also provides a useful comparison with Japan's projected authorization period of two to three years.

For someone accustomed to visiting Japan without advance paperwork, the change would make preparation more like travel to countries that already require electronic authorization. The key additional task would be securing approval before reaching the departure airport.

What Businesses and Travelers Need to Prepare

Travelers and corporate mobility teams have approximately two years to prepare for the intended introduction in fiscal 2028. Human resources departments at companies with operations in Japan are being advised to update travel policies and assignment manuals to account for the additional time needed to obtain JESTA approval.

Travel management companies have estimated that, if Canadian outbound travel to Japan returns to its level before the pandemic of 340,000 trips annually, JESTA fees alone could add CAD 9 million to corporate travel budgets. That estimate depends on traffic returning to that level and on the eventual application charge.

Companies are also advised to handle JESTA applications alongside routine checks of passport expiry dates. Bringing those administrative tasks together would help reduce complications close to departure, particularly once airlines begin checking authorization before boarding.

The Immigration Services Agency is expected to release detailed program criteria and application procedures closer to launch. Final fee structures are expected before the end of fiscal 2026, giving travelers, residents and businesses another point in the schedule to watch.

For corporate travel planning, the central changes are an additional application, an additional expense and a boarding requirement. For foreign residents, the larger financial issue is the proposed rise in immigration application charges.

The Dates Behind the Planned Changes

Japan's proposal brings together events and targets spanning several years. The tourism figures explain part of the pressure on arrival procedures, while the legislative and implementation dates show when the new rules are intended to take shape.

• 2009: The United States established ESTA, the main model for Japan's planned authorization system.
• 2019: Japan recorded its previous tourism peak of 31.9 million foreign visitors.
• 2024: Foreign visitor arrivals reached 36.9 million, surpassing the 2019 total.
• March 2026: Japan's Cabinet approved the bill to revise the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Law.
• Fiscal 2026: Annual revenue is projected at approximately 225 billion yen, and final fee structures are expected before the fiscal year's end.
• 2026: Europe is expected to introduce ETIAS.
• Fiscal 2028, from April 2028 to March 2029: Japan intends to introduce JESTA, ahead of its earlier 2030 target.

As of March 17, 2026, the immediate development is Cabinet approval of the bill and preparation for the new system. The next practical milestones are the fee structures expected by the end of fiscal 2026 and the Immigration Services Agency's publication of detailed criteria and procedures closer to implementation.

The Essentials

• Japan plans to launch JESTA in fiscal 2028, covering April 2028 through March 2029, for visitors from 71 countries and territories with visa exemptions.
• Travelers would submit personal, passport, travel and accommodation information online before departure.
• Authorization is projected to cost 2,000 to 3,000 yen and remain valid for two to three years, subject to official confirmation.
• Airlines would refuse boarding to passengers without valid approval and could face sanctions for failing to check it.
• Certain transit passengers and cruise travelers would also be subject to screening.
• The proposed ceiling for changing or renewing a visa would rise to 100,000 yen, while the permanent residency application ceiling would rise to 300,000 yen.
• Approximately 60% of projected revenue would fund services for foreign residents, with 40% supporting other initiatives, including free high school tuition.
• The government aims to strengthen immigration controls and speed entry procedures for legitimate visitors, with detailed rules to follow closer to launch.