On Wednesday, December 4th, a spokesperson for the Japanese government stated that Japan has not yet decided whether to relax visa requirements for Chinese citizens. This comes after a report by Nikkei News suggested that Japan is planning to ease travel visa restrictions for Chinese nationals.
According to Nikkei, various departments and government offices in Japan, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, and the Police Department, are expected to hold meetings to approve the relaxation of visa requirements for Chinese visitors to Japan, which may include reducing the amount of paperwork required for visa applications.
However, according to Reuters, on Wednesday, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan, Keiichiro Tachibana, stated during a press conference that a decision has not yet been made to relax visa requirements for Chinese tourists.
“Regardless, we will continue to respond appropriately to visa issues based on changing circumstances,” he added.
Currently, Chinese tourists applying for visas to visit Japan are required to provide several documents, such as proof of income and bank account balances. Chinese travel agencies have requested Japan to waive the bank balance requirement and to expand eligibility for multiple-entry visas and extend their validity period.
Beijing announced last Saturday, November 30th, the resumption of visa-free visits for Japanese citizens. Nikkei reported that Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya plans to visit China and is currently preparing to hold discussions with Chinese officials on visa-related matters.
The report indicated that Japan does not intend to implement a full reciprocal visa exemption policy with China, partly due to China’s population being more than ten times that of Japan. Japan is concerned about the possibility of tourists overstaying their visas. Japan has stated that it will maintain certain conditions to prevent a sudden surge in the number of incoming visitors.