22/12/2025
Advisory council calls for digital border controls and tighter immigration oversight
After record levels of foreign arrivals in recent years, Japan should expedite the rollout of digital border controls and tighten its residency management controls, according to a government advisory report released Monday.
A report that an advisory council for immigration policy submitted to the government Monday morning called for the expanded use of digital technologies, evidence-based policymaking and tighter coordination with airlines and foreign governments to balance stricter immigration control with smoother entry procedures.
Justice Minister Hiroshi Hiraguchi plans to reflect the recommendations in a new basic policy to be compiled around March 2026.
The report showed the total number of foreign entrants to Japan in 2024 reached approximately 40.34 million, the highest figure on record following the rapid rebound in inbound travel after the COVID-19 pandemic and because of the weak yen.
As part of its response, the government is preparing to introduce the Japan Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or JESTA, within fiscal 2028. The new online screening system would allow foreign visitors not needing a visa to apply for certification before entering Japan using their trip details, enabling them to clear immigration via walk-through gates instead of staffed counters at the airport. The report said the proactive and early introduction of such digital technologies is essential, adding that implementation should be accompanied by careful monitoring both before and after deployment to ensure the system in practice adheres to the guidelines envisioned.
The advisory council, which has held 10 meetings since December last year, said digitalization was one of the core pillars of future immigration policy, alongside improved data analysis and the strengthening of human and material resources.
The report also addressed the rapid growth in not only overseas visitors, but also the country’s foreign resident population, which reached a record 3.96 million as of June. While foreign employment has expanded sharply, the council warned of cases in which activities undertaken by foreign residents diverge from the original intent of their residence status.
To address these issues, the report called for a continuous review of residency management systems, closer monitoring of host institutions and penalties to deter illegal employment, particularly under the “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services” visa category.
Despite tightening oversight, the council said it did not discuss introducing numerical caps on residence statuses. Instead, discussions were focused on correcting mismatches between immigration policy design and actual practice, officials said at a press briefing.
On enforcement, the report highlighted concerns over illegal overstayers. As of Jan. 1, the number of people overstaying their visas stood at 74,863, down from 79,113 at the same time last year. The figure has been on a downward trend since 1993 but has leveled off in recent years. The government this year announced a “Zero Illegal Foreign Residents Plan” and revised the Immigration Control Act to address deportation avoidance and detention issues.
Japan’s refugee policy was another major focus of the report. Processing times for refugee status determinations now exceed 20 months, the report said, reflecting staffing constraints and an increase in applications. Japan recognized a record 303 refugees in 2023, while 1,661 people were granted complementary protection status in 2024.
The council urged the government to expand staffing, accelerate the digitalization of screening procedures and improve transparency while preventing abuse of the asylum system. It also recommended examining the expansion of third-country resettlement frameworks to meet Japan’s international responsibilities.
On social integration, the report said measures for adopting a national roadmap are already in place but further work is needed, calling for stronger consultation services for foreign nationals, better information dissemination and expanded settlement support through closer coordination with local governments, nonprofit organizations and foreign resident communities, as well as enhanced evaluation, incentive and budget support for refugee programs.
Looking further ahead, the report called for careful, data-driven debate on Japan’s long-term approach to accepting foreign nationals as population decline and labor shortages deepen, while also noting the need to consider the country’s economic growth, impacts on the labor market and overall social cohesion.
