Facts on Japan ESTA Guide come from official government sources, mainly Japanese ones. We link the source on the page and show the date we last checked it, which is currently 19 October 2026. This policy covers which sources we use, how we verify information, how we handle plans that are not yet final, and how we correct errors.
Last checked: 19 October 2026.
Our sources, in order of priority
We use primary sources. When sources disagree, the higher one in this table takes precedence, and the most recent official statement takes precedence over an older one.
| Priority | Source | What we use it for |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA, moj.go.jp/isa) | JESTA law and plans, landing rules, periods of stay |
| 2 | Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA, mofa.go.jp) | Visa exemption list, visa rules and fees |
| 3 | Japan Customs (customs.go.jp) | Customs declaration, allowances, International Tourist Tax |
| 4 | Digital Agency (digital.go.jp) | Visit Japan Web |
| 5 | Japan National Tourism Organization and Japan Tourism Agency | Traveller guidance, tax-free shopping |
| 6 | Embassies and consulates of Japan (emb-japan.go.jp) | Practical visa and passport guidance |
| 7 | Official records of the National Diet (kokkai.ndl.go.jp) | Government answers on JESTA plans that are not yet in formal rules |
For other countries’ systems, such as the US ESTA or the UK ETA, we cite only that government’s own official pages. We may mention news reports to explain what people are reading. In the rare case where a detail, such as a cabinet approval date, is only available from the press, we label it clearly as a press report.
How we verify information
- We find the primary source for each statement and read it in the original language, which is often Japanese.
- We record the source address, the type of document and its date.
- We check that every figure, date and name on the page matches the source exactly.
- We check that every link works and leads to an official page.
- The editorial team reviews the finished draft against the sources before publication.
Facts, plans and unknowns
JESTA is still being built, so we keep three categories apart:
- Confirmed: set by law or published as a rule. For example, the law was promulgated on 5 June 2026 and must take effect by 31 March 2029.
- Planned: stated by the government but not yet final. We use words like “planned”, “under consideration” or “according to ISA statements in the Diet”.
- Not announced: for example, the JESTA fee amount, validity period, processing time and exact launch date. We say clearly that these are unknown and we do not estimate them.
Last-checked dates and updates
Each page shows a “Last checked” date: the day we last compared the page with its sources. We recheck the main pages regularly and whenever an official source changes, for example when a Cabinet Order sets the JESTA launch date or the fee. When something important changes, we update the affected pages and add the milestone to our JESTA news timeline.
Corrections
If we get something wrong, we fix it. Report errors to info@japanesta.jp with the page address and, ideally, the official source. We check every report against the primary source. If the error is confirmed, we correct the page and update its “Last checked” date. If a correction changes the meaning of advice, we say so on the page.
Independence and no paid content
Japan ESTA Guide is run by VISA USA s.r.o., a private company, and is not affiliated with the Government of Japan or any other government. We do not show adverts, use affiliate links, accept sponsored articles or sell an application service. No company or organisation can pay to influence what we publish. See About us for operator details and our disclaimer for the limits of our information.
About the writer
Emma Clarke writes Japan ESTA Guide’s explainers on JESTA, visa-free entry, Visit Japan Web, customs and the departure tax. She writes for international travellers who want clear, practical answers about entering Japan, turning official documents into plain English. Her drafts go through the verification and review steps above before publication.
Japan ESTA Guide is an independent information website. It is not run by or affiliated with the Government of Japan. You cannot apply for JESTA here.