Full List: Japan Names 8 Countries Whose Citizens Can Enter Using ePassport Instead of Visa

Japan has introduced an updated entry arrangement that could make travel easier for citizens of selected countriesThe latest guidelines highlight a specific passport requirement travellers must meet to benefit from the exemptionThe development also reveals how the policy has expanded across several countries over the yearsGhana’s top stories, now easier to find. Discover our new search feature!

Japan has updated its entry requirements, highlighting eight countries whose citizens can enter the country without a traditional visa if they hold a compliant biometric ePassport.

The latest guidelines outline the countries covered by the visa-waiver arrangements and the dates when the respective exemptions took effect.

According to official Japanese immigration guidance, the visa exemption applies only to holders of electronic passports that comply with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards.

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Japan's immigration authorities state that visas are not required for nationals of these countries only when they possess ePassports that comply with ICAO standards.

Citizens of the eight countries who do not have a compliant biometric ePassport do not qualify for the visa exemption.

Such travellers must obtain a standard Japanese entry visa before travelling if their nationality requires one.

The policy has been expanded gradually over the years, beginning with Serbia in 2011 and later extending to Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, Brazil, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Montenegro.

No African country currently appears on this specific list of ePassport-based visa exemptions.

Therefore, citizens of African countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa should continue to follow the applicable Japanese visa procedures before travelling.

Travellers should check the latest requirements with the relevant Japanese diplomatic mission before making travel arrangements, as entry conditions can vary depending on nationality and passport type.

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Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported that Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare had published a list of countries with formal bilateral agreements to participate in the programme.

All 17 approved nations were located in Asia or the Pacific, with no African, European or American country appearing on the list.

The agreements set out a formal framework governing how interns and sending organisations participated in Japan's technical training initiative.

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Salifu Bagulube Moro (Human-Interest Editor) Salifu Bagulube Moro is a Current Affairs Editor at YEN.com.gh. He has over five years of experience in journalism. He graduated from the Ghana Institute of Journalism in 2018, where he obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Studies with a specialization in Journalism. Salifu previously worked with Opera News as a Content Management Systems (CMS) Editor. He also worked as an Online Reporter for the Ghanatalksbusiness.com news portal, as well as with the Graphic Communications Group Limited as a National Service Person. Salifu joined YEN.com.gh in 2024. Email: salifu.moro@yen.com.gh.