18 of the 74 carry a passport condition, such as holding an ePassport. The Japanese foreign ministry last revised the list on 1 September 2025.
The full list of 74
Every country and region on the foreign ministry's visa exemption list, with the stay granted on arrival.
MOFA: visa exemption list
Japan has reciprocal visa exemption arrangements with 74 countries and regions listed in the table below.
Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay)
Japan's 74 visa-exempt countries and regions: stay granted and passport condition (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, list revised 1 September 2025)
| Country or region | Stay | Passport condition | Condition applies since |
|---|---|---|---|
| BruneiAsia | 30 days | — | — |
| IndonesiaAsia | 15 days | ICAO-compliant ePassport, registered in advance at a Japanese mission | 1 December 2014 |
| MalaysiaAsia | 90 days | ICAO-standard ePassport (visa advised without one) | 1 July 2013 |
| South KoreaAsia | 90 days | — | — |
| SingaporeAsia | 90 days | — | — |
| ThailandAsia | 15 days | ICAO-standard ePassport required | 1 July 2013 |
| Hong KongAsia | 90 days | HKSAR passport, or BNO passport with right of residence in Hong Kong | — |
| MacaoAsia | 90 days | Macao SAR passport | — |
| TaiwanAsia | 90 days | Passport with a personal ID number | — |
| CanadaNorth America | 90 days | — | — |
| United StatesNorth America | 90 days | — | — |
| ArgentinaLatin America and the Caribbean | 90 days | — | — |
| BahamasLatin America and the Caribbean | 90 days | — | — |
| BarbadosLatin America and the Caribbean | 90 days | Machine-readable passport (visa advised without one) | 1 April 2010 |
| BrazilLatin America and the Caribbean | 90 days | ICAO-standard ePassport required | 30 September 2023 |
| ChileLatin America and the Caribbean | 90 days | — | — |
| Costa RicaLatin America and the Caribbean | 90 days | — | — |
| Dominican RepublicLatin America and the Caribbean | 90 days | — | — |
| El SalvadorLatin America and the Caribbean | 90 days | — | — |
| GuatemalaLatin America and the Caribbean | 90 days | — | — |
| HondurasLatin America and the Caribbean | 90 days | — | — |
| PanamaLatin America and the Caribbean | 90 days | ICAO-standard ePassport required | 1 April 2024 |
| ParaguayLatin America and the Caribbean | 90 days | ICAO-standard ePassport required | 1 June 2025 |
| PeruLatin America and the Caribbean | 90 days | ICAO-standard ePassport required | 1 July 2025 |
| MexicoLatin America and the Caribbean | 90 days | — | — |
| SurinameLatin America and the Caribbean | 90 days | — | — |
| UruguayLatin America and the Caribbean | 90 days | Old version of the Uruguayan passport only | — |
| AustraliaOceania | 90 days | — | — |
| New ZealandOceania | 90 days | — | — |
| IsraelMiddle East | 90 days | — | — |
| QatarMiddle East | 30 days | ICAO-compliant ePassport, registered in advance at a Japanese mission | 2 April 2023 |
| TürkiyeMiddle East | 90 days | Machine-readable passport (visa advised without one) | 1 April 2011 |
| United Arab EmiratesMiddle East | 90 days | ICAO-standard ePassport required | 1 November 2022 |
| LesothoAfrica | 90 days | Machine-readable passport (visa advised without one) | 1 April 2010 |
| MauritiusAfrica | 90 days | — | — |
| TunisiaAfrica | 90 days | — | — |
| AndorraEurope | 90 days | — | — |
| AustriaEurope | 90 days | — | — |
| BelgiumEurope | 90 days | — | — |
| BulgariaEurope | 90 days | — | — |
| CroatiaEurope | 90 days | — | — |
| CyprusEurope | 90 days | — | — |
| Czech RepublicEurope | 90 days | — | — |
| DenmarkEurope | 90 days | — | — |
| EstoniaEurope | 90 days | — | — |
| FinlandEurope | 90 days | — | — |
| FranceEurope | 90 days | — | — |
| GermanyEurope | 90 days | — | — |
| GreeceEurope | 90 days | — | — |
| HungaryEurope | 90 days | — | — |
| IcelandEurope | 90 days | — | — |
| IrelandEurope | 90 days | — | — |
| ItalyEurope | 90 days | — | — |
| LatviaEurope | 90 days | — | — |
| LiechtensteinEurope | 90 days | — | — |
| LithuaniaEurope | 90 days | — | — |
| LuxembourgEurope | 90 days | — | — |
| MaltaEurope | 90 days | — | — |
| MonacoEurope | 90 days | — | — |
| MontenegroEurope | 90 days | ICAO-standard ePassport required | 1 September 2025 |
| NetherlandsEurope | 90 days | — | — |
| North MacedoniaEurope | 90 days | — | — |
| NorwayEurope | 90 days | — | — |
| PolandEurope | 90 days | — | — |
| PortugalEurope | 90 days | — | — |
| RomaniaEurope | 90 days | — | — |
| San MarinoEurope | 90 days | — | — |
| SerbiaEurope | 90 days | ICAO-standard ePassport required | 1 May 2011 |
| SlovakiaEurope | 90 days | — | — |
| SloveniaEurope | 90 days | — | — |
| SpainEurope | 90 days | — | — |
| SwedenEurope | 90 days | — | — |
| SwitzerlandEurope | 90 days | — | — |
| United KingdomEurope | 90 days | — | — |
How long you can stay
The stay is granted at immigration when you land.
- 90 days70
- 30 days2
- 15 days2
MOFA: visa exemption list
The period of stay granted upon landing permission will be "15 days" for Indonesia and Thailand, “30 days” for Brunei and Qatar, and "90 days" for other countries and regions.
Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay)
MOFA(A stay of up to 90 days for tourism, business, visiting friends or relatives, etc. that does not include remunerative activities)
VISA
Passport conditions on the list
18 of the 74 entries apply only to a certain kind of passport. These are the ministry's notes, word for word.
MOFA: note 1 to the list
For nationals of Indonesia (since December 1, 2014), visas are not required only for those who have registered ICAO-compliant ePassport to diplomatic missions of Japan in Indonesia (the embassy, consulates-general, or the consulate). Validity of the registration is three years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first.
Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay)
MOFA: note 2 to the listFor nationals of Montenegro (since September 1, 2025), Peru（since July 1, 2025), Paraguay (since June 1, 2025), Panama (since April 1, 2024), Brazil (since September 30, 2023), United Arab Emirates (since November 1, 2022), Thailand (since July 1, 2013) and Serbia (since May 1, 2011), visas are not required only for holders of ePassport in compliance with ICAO standards. Those who do not hold such ePassport are requested to obtain a visa in advance, otherwise will be refused to enter Japan.
Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay)
MOFA: note 3 to the listFor nationals of Malaysia (since July 1, 2013), visas are not required only for holders of ePassport in compliance with ICAO standards. Those who do not hold such ePassport are advised to obtain a visa in advance, otherwise will be strictly examined and may be refused entry to Japan.
Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay)
MOFA: note 4 to the listVisa exemption arrangement for Taiwan is limited to passport holders with a personal ID number.
Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay)
MOFA: note 5 to the listFor citizens of Hong Kong, visas are not required only for holders of Special Administrative Region (SAR) passport issued by the Hong Kong SAR of the People’s Republic of China or British National Overseas (BNO) passports who have the right of residence in Hong Kong.
Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay)
MOFA: note 6 to the listFor citizens of Macao, visas are not required only for holders of SAR passport issued by the Macao SAR of the People’s Republic of China.
Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay)
MOFA: note 7 to the listFor nationals of Barbados (since April 1, 2010), Türkiye (since April 1, 2011) and Lesotho (since April 1, 2010), visas are not required only for holders of Machine-Readable Passport (MRP) in compliance with ICAO standards. Those who do not hold an MRP are advised to obtain a visa in advance, otherwise will be strictly examined and may be refused entry to Japan.
Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay)
MOFA: note 9 to the listFor nationals of Qatar (since April 2, 2023), visas are not required only for those who have registered ICAO-compliant ePassport to diplomatic missions of Japan (the embassy, consulates-general, or the consulate). Validity of the registration is three years period or until the passport expires, whichever comes first.
Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay)
MOFA: note 11 to the listThe new version of Uruguayan ordinary passport issued after April 16, 2025, which does not include a 'place of birth' on the personal data page, is not recognized as valid by the Japanese government. Therefore, these new passports will not be eligible for travel to Japan. The Japanese visa exemption arrangement applies only to Uruguayan nationals holding the old version of Uruguayan passports. Uruguayan nationals holding the old version of passports will remain eligible for visa exemption even if their passports were issued after April 16, 2025.
Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay)
MOFA: visa exemption listePassport in compliance with ICAO standards has ePassport’s symbol on the front cover of the passport.
Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay)
MOFA: visa exemption listMRP in compliance with ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) standards has certain individual information, which is able to be read by computer, entered on the identity page of the passport.
Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay)
Up to 6 months for 7 countries
Mexico, Austria, Germany, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and United Kingdom have bilateral arrangements that allow up to 6 months.
MOFA: note 8 to the list
For nationals of those countries with visa exemptions permitting stays of up to 6 months under the bilateral visa exemption arrangements, those who wish to stay in Japan for more than 90 days are required to apply for an extension of the period of stay to the Ministry of Justice (Regional Immigration Bureau) before the period of permitted stay is to expire.
Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay)
The first landing permission is still for 90 days. To stay longer, apply for an extension at a Regional Immigration Bureau in Japan before those 90 days end.
Colombia: not exempt, visa advised
Colombia is not in the table of 74. The ministry's notes still mention it.
MOFA: note 10 to the list
Nationals of Colombia (since February 1, 2004) are advised to obtain a visa in advance, otherwise will be strictly examined and may be refused entry to Japan.
Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay)
Newest arrangements on the list
The dates the ministry gives in its notes, newest first.
| Country | Since | Passport condition | Stay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montenegro | 1 September 2025 | ICAO-standard ePassport required | 90 days |
| Peru | 1 July 2025 | ICAO-standard ePassport required | 90 days |
| Paraguay | 1 June 2025 | ICAO-standard ePassport required | 90 days |
| Panama | 1 April 2024 | ICAO-standard ePassport required | 90 days |
| Brazil | 30 September 2023 | ICAO-standard ePassport required | 90 days |
| Qatar | 2 April 2023 | ICAO-compliant ePassport, registered in advance at a Japanese mission | 30 days |
| United Arab Emirates | 1 November 2022 | ICAO-standard ePassport required | 90 days |
| Indonesia | 1 December 2014 | ICAO-compliant ePassport, registered in advance at a Japanese mission | 15 days |
What visa-free entry does not cover
- Paid work. A short stay excludes remunerative activities.
- Stays over 90 days, apart from the 6-month arrangements above.
- A guaranteed entry. The immigration officer decides at the airport.
- If you leave Japan during a Temporary Visitor stay, the next arrival is a new entry, and anyone who is not from a visa-exempt country or region needs a visa again.
Frequently asked questions
How many countries are visa-free for Japan?
74 countries and regions, on the list the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan revised on 1 September 2025.
Which countries get fewer than 90 days in Japan?
30 days for Brunei and Qatar; 15 days for Indonesia and Thailand. Every other country and region on the list gets 90 days.
Can I work in Japan on a visa-free stay?
No. A short stay does not include paid work. The Immigration Services Agency says Temporary Visitors cannot work in Japan in principle, apart from short business trips.
Do I need an ePassport to enter Japan visa-free?
Only for some nationalities. The ministry's notes limit the exemption to ePassport holders for Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Brazil, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Montenegro and Serbia. Other countries on the list have no such note.
Will visa-free travellers need JESTA?
Not yet. The law creating JESTA passed on 29 May 2026. It starts on a date to be set by Cabinet Order, no later than 31 March 2029.
Can I get a visa on arrival in Japan?
No. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says visas cannot be obtained at the port of entry in Japan. If your country or region is not among the 74 on the list, apply at a Japanese embassy or consulate, or online through JAPAN eVISA where it is offered, before you travel.
Does visa-free entry guarantee I will be let in?
No. The immigration officer at the airport decides whether to grant landing permission. In 2025, 8,546 foreign nationals were refused entry to Japan, 84.8% of them because their purpose of entry was in doubt, according to the Immigration Services Agency (27 March 2026).
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Sources for this page
- Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay)Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
- VISAMinistry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
- 出入国審査・在留審査Q&A (Japanese)Immigration Services Agency of Japan
- Visas and Landing PermissionMinistry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
- 令和7年における外国人の上陸拒否について (Japanese)Immigration Services Agency of Japan