About Japan ESTA Guide

Japan ESTA Guide is an independent English-language website about JESTA, Japan’s planned electronic travel authorisation, and about today’s entry rules for visitors from the 74 visa-exempt countries and regions. It is run by VISA USA s.r.o., a private company in the Czech Republic. It is not a government website and does not offer applications.

Who runs this website

Operator	VISA USA s.r.o.
Company ID (IČO)	08392226
Registered address	Sv. Čecha 750/4, 743 01 Bílovec, Czech Republic
Email	info@japanesta.jp

The company name contains the word “USA”, but VISA USA s.r.o. is a private company. It is not connected with the government of the United States, the Government of Japan or any other government.

Why this site exists

In 2026 Japan passed a law creating JESTA, the Japan Electronic System for Travel Authorization. The government aims to launch it in fiscal year 2028. Much of the official material is in Japanese, spread across ministry pages, PDFs and parliamentary records. Press coverage often fills the gaps with guesses about fees, validity periods and launch dates that have not been announced.

We bring the confirmed facts together in plain English, separate them clearly from plans that are still under consideration, and link the official source for each fact. We also cover what visitors need to know now: visa-free stays, passports, Visit Japan Web, customs and the departure tax.

What we are not

• We are not affiliated with the Government of Japan, the Immigration Services Agency of Japan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Digital Agency or any Japanese embassy or consulate.
• We do not offer a JESTA or visa application service, and we never ask for passport details. JESTA is not running yet. When it starts, the official website is expected to be on a go.jp domain.
• We do not show adverts or use affiliate links, and nobody pays us to publish content.
• We do not give legal advice. For a decision about your own trip, the official sources and the immigration officer at the border have the final word.

Who writes and checks the content

Our explainers are written by Emma Clarke, who covers travel-entry rules for international travellers. Before publication, the editorial team checks every fact against official sources: the Immigration Services Agency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan Customs, the Digital Agency, the Japan National Tourism Organization, Japanese embassies and the official records of the National Diet. Each page shows the date it was last checked.

Our editorial policy explains how we choose sources, how we verify information and how we handle updates.

Corrections

If you spot an error or an out-of-date statement, email info@japanesta.jp with the page address and, if possible, a link to the official source. We review every report and correct confirmed errors promptly. Other questions are welcome through our contact page. Please read our disclaimer as well.