Japan mulls no visa rule for Filipinos

AP PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Talks are underway to finally lift the tough visa requirements for Filipinos to visit Japan, a report said Wednesday.

Kyodo News reported that the Japanese government and its ruling coalition “are making arrangements” to waive the visa requirements for its visitors from Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam.

The lifting of the visa is part of the country’s “revised action plan due in June to make Japan a tourism-oriented country,” Kyodo News said quoting government sources.

The measure also aims to increase Japan’s annual tourist arrivals to 20 million as the country prepares for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the report said.

The Japanese Embassy in Manila has yet to confirm the report.

Japanese visa is known to be among the toughest to get for Filipino tourists in light of Japan’s strict requirements and screening process.

The Japanese government has eased its visa policy for Southeast Asian countries last year by only issuing multiple-entry tourist visas to Filipinos.

Previously, multiple-entry visas only cater to those visiting Japan due to commercial reasons,  artists and specialists (athletes, professors and government officials), and immediate family members of Japan residents.

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