Japan lifts visa requirement for ASEAN countries

[blessed_ekim0826]

Japan has lifted visa requirements for a number of ASEAN countries to help spur the nation's tourism industry and to develop the relationships with Southeast Asian countries.




World Bulletin/News Desk
Japan has lefted visa requirements for a number of ASEAN countries including Thailand and Malaysia to help spur the nation's tourism industry and to develop relationships with Southeast Asian countries.
According to Foreign Ministry’s pronouncement, visa exemption will be effective for Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Viet Nam after July, 1. Ministry underlined the decision is adopted to celebrate “40th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation.” Visa exemption is valid for short time visit no longer than 15 days. Japan cautioned those travelers who want to stay longer must still need a visa.
The territorial dispute between Tokyo and Beijing lowered the Chinese travelers. Japan’s move to nationalize disputed islands at the East China Sea drew a harsh critic from Chinese’s officials and triggered a boycott from Chinese’s consumers and tourists. With no end in sight to the dispute, the Japanese government turned its eye to lucrative Southeast Asian market. Tokyo wants to attract 1 million Southeast Asian tourists this year, and 2 million in 2016. The number was 780,000 last year.
On the political side, the Japanese governments want to have a closer relationship with ASEAN countries. Nationalist leader Shinzo Abe who visited Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia after becoming prime minister is expected to tour Malaysia and the Philippines. During his visit, Japanese Prime Minister will try to develop relations with Southeast Asian countries to obstruct Beijing’s regional ambition, reports say. Malaysia and the Philippines have a territorial dispute with Beijing likewise Japan. Japanese PM Abe is due to host a special meeting of ASEAN leaders in Tokyo in December.

http://www.worldbulletin.net/?aType=...ticleID=111902

[rani]

Thanks for the info

Really good news

[malditako]

thats good news

[KeithD]

Great ... now I can get Rayna's family to pick me up a tin of tuna friendly dolphin!

[SteveJ]

Great ... now I can get Rayna's family to pick me up a tin of tuna friendly dolphin!

Not sure about this - some sites have corrected their information and are now saying for the Philippines 'relaxed visa requirements' - saying effectively Filipinos can apply for multiple-entry visas for short-term trips to Japan, part of the East Asian country's relaxed visa rules for select Southeast Asian countries.

One to keep an eye on I guess

[Terpe]

Not sure about this - some sites have corrected their information and are now saying for the Philippines 'relaxed visa requirements' - saying effectively Filipinos can apply for multiple-entry visas for short-term trips to Japan, part of the East Asian country's relaxed visa rules for select Southeast Asian countries.

One to keep an eye on I guess

The link posted by the OP actually reads as follows:-

CORRECTED-Japan relaxes visa rules for Pinoys

Visa requirements for citizens of Thailand and Malaysia, meanwhile, have been lifted for short-term stays.
World Bulletin/News Desk

Starting July 1, Filipinos can apply for multiple-entry visas for short-term trips to Japan, part of the East Asian country's relaxed visa rules for select Southeast Asian countries.

"The Government of Japan has decided to begin issuance from July 1, of multiple entry visas for short-term stay to nationals of the Republic of the Philippines (ordinary passport holders) who reside in their home country," the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said in a news release Tuesday, June 25.

The MOFA release said applicants will have to meet "certain conditions." They will also be required to have machine-readable passports that meet the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), or an ordinary IC passport.

The multiple-entry visas will allow Filipinos to stay in Japan for a period of 15 days, and the visas will be valid for up to 3 years.

"The further development of Japan-Philippines exchange is expected as a result of the issuance of multiple entry visas, including increase in the number of tourists from the Philippines who visit Japan and the enhancement of the ease of business transactions between the two countries," the MOFA said.

"Japan will continue to accept and deliver Visa applications for Japan through accredited agencies," the Japanese Embassy in Manila said in a news release Thursday, June 27.

Citizens of Vietnam will also be granted the privilege, while Indonesians, who are already eligible for multiple-entry visas for short-term stays, will have their lengths of stay extended from 15 days to up to 30 days.

Prior to this, Japan issued multiple-entry visas only to businessmen, artists, and specialists, as well as immediate family members of Japanese residents.

Lifted for Thais, Malaysians

Visa requirements for citizens of Thailand and Malaysia, meanwhile, have been lifted for short-term stays.

For Malaysia, citizens must have an ordinary IC passport to use this privilege; those who do not have an IC passport will still be encouraged to apply for a visa.

In the case of Thailand, there will be no visa requirements for Thai citizens who will visit Japan for 15 days or less; for trips longer than 15 days, visas will still be required.

Prior to this, only citizens of Brunei and Singapore were allowed to enter Japan without a visa.

These relaxed visa requirements are part of Japan's measures to increase tourism traffic, and are part of the commemoration of the 40th year of Japan's engagement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Said the MOFA: "Through the years, ASEAN and Japan have forged close cooperation towards peace, stability, development and prosperity in Asia. They have established close business partnership with total bilateral trade amounting to 248 billion US dollars in 2011. ASEAN Member States are major foreign direct investment destinations for Japanese enterprises."

"For 2013, Japan and ASEAN Member States plan to carry out exchange projects in a wide range of fields, including political dialogue, economy, culture, youth, and tourism," the MOFA added.

Japan is targeting 10 million tourists this 2013. The Japan Times reported that visitors from the Philippines rose 28.2% in the period of January to April this year, compared to the same period last year

[SteveJ]

The link posted by the OP actually reads as follows:-

I think it has been corrected over the last few hours... the OP may have posted the original information provided.

[Terpe]

I think it has been corrected over the last few hours... the OP may have posted the original information provided.

Must be