Japan visa for Chinese citizens: requirements, fees and how to apply

The rule for Chinese passports

What the Japanese foreign ministry publishes for nationals of China.

Short-stay visa

Needed

Standard processing

5 working days

Visa fee

715 CNY

eVISA where you live

Through an agency

Japanese missions

7

Visa for a short stay

Required before travel

Visa on arrival

Not available

Standard processing

5 working days after the application is received

Single-entry visa

Valid for 3 months, for one entry

Visa fee from 1 July 2026

715 CNY for Chinese nationals (Embassy of Japan in China)

JAPAN eVISA

Through an accredited agency (Chinese nationals living in China)

List last revised

1 September 2025

Other passports from Asia

How to apply in China

The steps the foreign ministry sets out, with what the mission in China adds.

Step 1

Prepare the documents. If someone in Japan invites or guarantees you, they send their documents to you, not to the embassy.

Step 2

Apply at the Japanese embassy or consulate for the place you live, at an accredited agency, at a Japan Visa Application Centre or online, whichever that mission specifies.

Step 3

Wait for the examination. The standard time is 5 working days from the day after the application is received. It can take more than a month if the case is referred to Tokyo.

Step 4

Collect the result. The visa fee is paid only if a visa is issued.

Step 5

Enter Japan within 3 months. A single-entry visa is valid for three months and for one entry.

What the Embassy of Japan in China says

• Applications in China are submitted through travel agencies accredited by the mission. Source

If an application is refused, the same purpose cannot be applied for again within six months.

Documents for a tourist visa

The foreign ministry publishes a separate outline for nationals of China.

The checklist above is the ministry's general one. For nationals of China it publishes its own outline, which lists the documents that apply.

• Outline for nationals of China (PDF)Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
• Short-term stay: Nationals of China who wish to come to Japan for a short-term stayMinistry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
• Visa application form (PDF)Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
• Tourist visa documents: the full checklistDocuments, form and photo

Visa fee

Fees changed on 1 July 2026.

For applications accepted on or after 1 July 2026, the fee is about 15,000 yen for a single-entry visa and about 30,000 yen for a multiple-entry visa, converted and paid in the local currency. Depending on purpose and nationality, the fee can be waived or different. No fee is charged if the visa is not issued. An agency adds its own handling fee.

• Japan visa fees by countryWhat each embassy charges

JAPAN eVISA in China

For Chinese nationals living in China, the JAPAN eVISA is applied for through an accredited agency. The foreign ministry says electronic visas for this group carry a stay of 15 days or 30 days.

• At check-in you show the visa issuance notice live on your phone. A PDF, a screenshot or a printout is not accepted.
• Visiting relatives or friends, business and transit are not covered: those applications are made on paper.

• JAPAN eVISA: who can apply onlineBy country of residence

Working, studying or staying longer

The short-term visa covers short stays only.

Paid work is outside a short stay. To work for pay, or to stay more than 90 days, you need a visa. The foreign ministry says to obtain a Certificate of Eligibility from the Immigration Services Agency first, in principle.

Japan's pre-entry tuberculosis screening applies to nationals of China who come as mid- to long-term residents or under the digital nomad status. It does not apply to short stays as a Temporary Visitor.

At the airport in Japan

The same steps apply to every foreign visitor.

On arrival you complete the Disembarkation Card for Foreigner (online through Visit Japan Web, or on paper), give your fingerprints and a facial photograph, and an immigration officer decides whether you can land.

• Visit Japan Web: QR codes for immigration and customsStep by step
• What you cannot bring into JapanMeat, fruit, medicine and more
• Plugs and voltage: China and JapanDo you need an adapter?
• Tax-free shopping in JapanThe refund system from 1 November 2026

JESTA, Japan's travel authorisation

JESTA is the electronic travel authorisation Japan is creating for visa-exempt visitors, starting no later than 31 March 2029. The law bars entry to foreign nationals who have neither a JESTA authorisation nor a visa; Chinese citizens need a visa in any case.

• JESTA: what is decided so farDates, who it covers, what is not yet set

China and Japan in numbers

9,095,931 visitors from China came to Japan in 2025, 2nd among the markets JNTO counts separately. That was up 30.3% on 2024.

Japan issued 5,709,706 visas to Chinese nationals in 2025, 73% of all visas issued and number 1 by nationality.

Japanese embassy and consulates in China

The missions the foreign ministry lists for China. The rules on this page can change, so confirm with the mission before you book.

• Embassy of Japan in ChinaOfficial website
• Consulate-General in ChongqingOfficial website
• Consular Office in DalianOfficial website
• Consulate-General in GuangzhouOfficial website
• Consulate-General in QingdaoOfficial website
• Consulate-General in ShanghaiOfficial website
• Consulate-General in ShenyangOfficial website

This page is compiled from the official pages below and was last checked on 5 October 2026. It is not legal advice. The embassy or consulate has the final word on your case.

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