Japan rolls out red carpet for tourists with fast-track immigration system

Visitors will be able to complete most of their immigration screening before departure to help shorten the time taken for entry procedures on arrival, according to the broadcaster.

The decision comes with record numbers of tourists already visiting the country. Around 17.8 million people visited in the first half of the year, according to the Japan National Tourism Organisation. June also marked the fourth straight month with more than 3 million travellers.

“It’s critical to promote the number of visitors to local regions, while preventing and keeping control of overtourism,” Kishida told a ministerial council. The prime minister called for the use of technology to ease congestion at airports, travel networks and popular destinations.

He’s also seeking to boost the attractiveness of Japan’s national parks and promote sports tourism, as part of the government’s goal to reach 60 million visitors annually by 2030.

Japan’s airports have been dealing with a jet-fuel shortage that has affected foreign carriers seeking to increase flights to the country.

While efforts are in place to ease the shortage by boosting production and imports, Kishida called on the ministerial council to take urgent measure to secure supplies.

The influx is providing a boost to Japan’s fragile economy. The currency hit a 38-year low against the US dollar earlier this month as the gap in interest rates between Japan and the US continues to keep downward pressure on the currency.

While the weakness in the yen is attracting tourists and shoppers to Japan, it is also fuelling the strongest inflation cycle in decades, a factor that is dragging on domestic consumer spending.

Foreign visitors spent 2.14 trillion yen in the April-June quarter, according to figures