(JAPAN) — Japan’s Immigration Services Agency set out plans to launch a new pre-travel screening system by fiscal year 2028 and to sharply raise visa and residency-related fees starting in fiscal year 2026, as the government tightens entry controls while trying to keep travel and business flows moving.
The planned system, called JESTA, short for Japan Electronic System for Travel Authorization, would require pre-screening for travelers from 74 visa-exempt countries, while the proposed fee package includes big increases for tourist visas and in-country procedures and a higher international departure tax.
Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae linked the screening push to a broader effort to block risky arrivals while reducing friction for most visitors. On February 20, 2026, she said the system will “prevent the entry of foreign nationals who are undesirable for our country while facilitating smooth entry procedures for visitors who pose no issues.”
Government officials still need legislation and implementing rules to put key pieces into effect, including amendments to the Immigration Control Act planned for the 2026 Diet session. The Immigration Services Agency said it plans to table JESTA legislation next month, in March 2026, while the fee changes would take effect sometime in fiscal year 2026.
JESTA would operate as a pre-travel authorization model similar to electronic authorization systems used in other countries, with travelers submitting information before departure so authorities can vet them ahead of time. The agency said the system would apply not only to standard arrivals from visa-exempt countries but also to some transit passengers and certain cruise ship arrivals.
Under the outline described by the agency, JESTA would cross-check applicants against records that include criminal histories, deportation histories, and grounds for prior entry denial and other inadmissibility issues. People flagged through those checks would face denial of boarding, shifting the screening point from arrival to the departure gate.
Airlines and cruise operators would take on an operational role by verifying approvals and reporting passenger data, a change that could affect how carriers handle check-in for flights, cruise departures, and some transit itineraries. The plan also contemplates exemptions that may cover certain U.S.-bound transits, an approach officials described as a way to protect hub airports.
Even with pre-travel approval, identity checks would continue after arrival. Approved travelers would provide fingerprints and facial images at kiosks, part of a system architecture aimed at speeding processing while maintaining tighter verification at the border.
The government has also attached a processing charge to the new authorization, with an estimated fee of 6,000 yen. Officials have not laid out full operational details such as all exemptions and edge cases, and they are expected to refine them through legislation and guidance.
Alongside JESTA, Japan is preparing a major revision to visa and residency-related charges that officials said have not changed since the 1970s-1980s. The government said it wants to align fees closer to levels seen among G7 peers and to better cover administrative costs.
The Immigration Services Agency said the increases for fiscal year 2026 would range from 500%-900% and would fund foreign resident services, with 60% of revenue earmarked for those services, as well as other priorities including free high school tuition. Exact figures remain under discussion as lawmakers debate amendments in the 2026 Diet session.
For tourist visas, the table of proposals under discussion shows single-entry fees currently at 2,000–3,000 yen moving to 15,000 yen, and multiple-entry tourist visas currently at 4,000–6,000 yen moving to 30,000 yen. For in-country immigration procedures, change or extension of status of residence would rise from 6,000 yen to 30,000–40,000 yen, while permanent residence applications would increase from 10,000 yen to 100,000+ yen.
Officials have pointed to benchmarks overseas as part of the justification for the scale of the revisions, citing examples such as UK £127, Schengen €90, and U.S. $420+. The government has not finalized which proposed figures will survive the legislative process and implementing rules.
The timeline described by officials sets fiscal year 2026 as April 2026–March 2027, with fees and the departure tax effective sometime in that window, likely April 2026. The government said applications submitted before enforcement would use old rates, following the approach used in an April 2025 revision.
A separate proposal would raise the international departure tax from 1,000 yen to 3,000 yen, applying to all departing individuals. Travelers often encounter such charges as part of ticketing and airfare, depending on carrier and itinerary, rather than as a separate payment at the airport.
Officials have framed the departure tax increase and the move to JESTA as part of a wider border-management funding and control push. The agenda also sits alongside debate over tourism pressures, including overtourism in Tokyo and Kyoto, and the administrative strain of rising foreign residents.
The government has placed the initiatives within Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae’s “Zero Illegal Overstayers Plan,” presenting pre-travel screening as a way to prevent inadmissible travelers from arriving in the first place. At the same time, policymakers continue to argue Japan must attract workers as its population ages, leaving airlines, cruise operators, frequent travelers, students, workers, employers, and tourism-dependent businesses watching how the Diet and agencies turn the proposals into enforceable rules.
Jesta Push Led by Takaichi Sanae Expands Japan Travel Screening
Japan is introducing the JESTA pre-travel authorization system by 2028 and significantly increasing visa and residency fees in 2026. Tourist visas will see dramatic price hikes, and the international departure tax will triple. These reforms aim to tighten border security, prevent illegal overstays, and align Japan’s immigration costs with G7 peers, with revenue supporting foreign resident services and education.
