Short-term stay visa (tourism, business, visiting relatives), including the JAPAN eVISA for tourism
Japan's short-term stay visa covers visits of up to 90 days for tourism, business meetings or visiting friends and relatives, with no paid work. Nationals of 74 countries and regions do not need a visa for short stays. Everyone else applies to the Japanese embassy or consulate covering where they live, through an accredited agency or visa centre where the embassy requires it, or online through the JAPAN eVISA system if they live in one of the listed countries or regions and travel for tourism.
Visiting Japan
Add your passport to your profile, or check it here, to see exactly what you need to visit.
Ways to save in Japan
Free passes, discounts and programmes from official sources. Those you may qualify for come first.
Collection exhibitions are free for everyone on Culture Day (3 November 2026), and free all year for anyone under 18 or over 70 with proof of age such as a passport. Special exhibitions are ticketed separately, and the museum says to check booking requirements before you go.
EveryoneYouthSeniorsFamiliesGives unlimited rides on all Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway lines for 24, 48 or 72 hours, with child fares at half price. It is for visitors from outside Japan only. Check current prices and where to buy it on the Tokyo Metro site.
EveryoneFamiliesIssued by the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau, it covers about 40 attractions plus unlimited rides on buses and trains in 1-day and 2-day versions. Sales run until 31 March 2027, and there are separate airport versions. Anyone can buy it, and the pass site lists which attractions and lines are covered.
EveryoneTemporary visitors who are not Japanese residents can avoid the 10% consumption tax at designated tax-free shops, subject to minimum purchase rules. For purchases made on or after 1 November 2026 the system changes to a refund method: you pay the tax-inclusive price, and the tax is refunded after Customs confirms at departure that the goods are leaving Japan.
Everyone
Offers and conditions change; check the official page before you go.
Life in Japan
Money
3
Currency
Japanese Yen
JPY
Japanese Yen
Cost of living
69
Price level · US = 100
World Bank price levels, 2025
Tax
5–45%
Income tax (national)
Consumption tax 10%
Plus 2.1% reconstruction surtax on national tax and about 10% local inhabitant tax; 45% applies above JPY 40 million.
Living
1
Happiness
#59 of 145 countries
World Happiness Report 2025
Your edge here Members
What gives you an edge here: passports, visas and permits you hold, work, study, language and family ties
Who it’s for
Nationals of countries not on Japan's visa exemption list who want to visit Japan for tourism, short business trips or family visits of up to 90 days.
Eligibility
Check whether you need a visa
Check whether your country has a visa exemption with Japan; the days allowed depend on your nationality.
Stay allowed without a visa
- Most exempt visitors
- 90 days
- Brunei and Qatar
- 30 days
- Indonesia and Thailand
- 15 days
- Japan has exemption arrangements with 74 countries and regions (MOFA list, 1 September 2025)
- Some exemptions only apply to ICAO ePassport holders, e.g. Thailand, Malaysia, UAE, Brazil
- Indonesia and Qatar need prior ePassport registration
Official wording
Japan has reciprocal visa exemption arrangements with 74 countries and regions (MOFA list dated 1 September 2025). Most exempt visitors get 90 days; Indonesia and Thailand get 15 days, Brunei and Qatar 30 days. Some exemptions only apply to ICAO ePassport holders (for example Thailand, Malaysia, UAE, Brazil) or need prior ePassport registration (Indonesia, Qatar).
Short stay with no paid work
Short-term stay covers up to 90 days of tourism, business or visiting relatives, with no paid activity.
- Paid work or longer stays need a Certificate of Eligibility and a different visa
Official wording
The short-term stay status covers up to 90 days for tourism, business, visiting friends or relatives and similar activities that do not include paid (remunerative) activities. Paid work or longer stays need a Certificate of Eligibility and a different visa.
Apply where you live
You apply at the Japanese embassy or consulate with jurisdiction over your place of residence, or an accredited agency or Japan Visa Application Centre where the mission requires it. Visas cannot be obtained on arrival or inside Japan.
A sneak peek at what's inside
- Next requirementValid passport and right to return
- Document checklistPassport
- FeesSingle-entry visa (applications accepted from 1 July 2026)
The full requirements are for members
Create an account and subscribe to see every requirement, the full document checklist, fees, steps, processing times and conditions, and how your profile compares.
- 5 more requirements
- 10 documents
- 3 fees
- 8 steps
- Processing times and conditions
Places to visit in Japan
Attractions picked for you, based on your profile and interests.
Finding places for you…
Official sources
- MOFA Japan, VISA (page dated 24 June 2026)
- MOFA Japan, Exemption of Visa (Short-Term Stay) (1 September 2025)
- MOFA Japan, Visa Fees (24 June 2026)
- MOFA Japan, The JAPAN eVISA system (15 May 2026)
- MOFA Japan, Validity of a Visa
- MOFA Japan, Criteria of Visa Issuance
- MOFA Japan, Short-term stay procedures for other nationalities (9 February 2026)
Other routes to Japan
- StudyStudent (留学) status of residence
- Work permitsEngineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services
- Skilled migrationHighly Skilled Professional (i) (高度専門職1号) under the points-based system
- Permanent residencePermanent Resident (Eijuusha) - including Highly Skilled Professional fast track
- FamilySpouse or Child of Japanese National
- Work permitsSpecified Skilled Worker (i) and (ii)
