Japan in pre-clearance plan

In an effort to speed up immigration procedures, Japan is planning to introduce a pre-clearance system at airports in South Korea and Taiwan.

Travellers will complete screening before boarding flights, enabling them to pass through Japanese airports much more rapidly. Overseas travel companies have welcomed the plan and say it will be a “big bonus” for clients.

Under the proposed scheme, which is scheduled to be put into operation in fiscal 2017, Japanese customs and immigration officers would be stationed at the airport of departure to verify passport information and the contents of their luggage.

After arriving in Japan, the pre-screened travellers would be directed to a special lane for a brief screening before leaving the airport.

If the programme proves to be effective, Japanese authorities plan to roll it out to arrivals from more nations.

Delays at Japan's largest airports are becoming a major problem as arrivals consistently hit new record highs.

International arrivals in July alone rose by 19.7% compared with the same month last year, with nearly 2.3m visitors setting a new monthly record. The previous record of just over 2m was set only in April this year.

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