Intro
What will the news about JESTA mean for travelers?
FAQs about JESTA

Intro

Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi - the first female PM in the country’s history - recently announced a new electronic travel authorization system, JESTA, for visitors to Japan.

Modelled after the ESTA system used by the United States, JESTA (Japan Electronic System for Travel Authorization) will be mandatory for nationals of countries that are currently visa-exempt for short-term stays in Japan.

What will the news about JESTA mean for travelers?

The new system will require international visitors to submit an online application before departure, alongside a small fee, and receive advance authorization before they’re able to board an aircraft or vessel going to Japan. Without an approved JESTA document, visitors could be denied entry. The new system is aimed at automating and enhancing pre-entry screening of international visitors while simultaneously streamlining Japan’s travel authorization procedures.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi revealed that her government will “submit a bill to establish the electronic travel authorization system ‘JESTA’ for short-term stays in Japan” in the near future. She added that the system would “facilitate entry procedures for visitors who pose no problems.” JESTA is expected to come into effect by 2028 and comes after Japan has experienced record high visitor numbers over the past few years. The country has also set itself a target of welcoming more than 60 million visitors to Tokyo by 2030. 

FAQs about JESTA

Q. What is JESTA?

JESTA stands for Japan Electronic System for Travel Authorization and will be a mandatory travel authorization procedure for visitors to Japan from countries currently visa-exempty for short term stays in the country.

Q. When will JESTA come into effect?

JESTA is expected to come into effect by 2028.

Q. What countries will JESTA apply to? 

A total of 71 countries and territories currently exempt from visa requirements for short stays in Japan will be affected by JESTA. These include: Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, 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, New Zealand, 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, United Kingdom, United States and Uruguay.

How much will JESTA cost for travelers? 

This is currently unconfirmed, but speculation suggests the fee could be around 3,000 yen (approximately $20)..