Landing Examination in Japan: Conditions, Procedure, and Grounds for Denial

Foreign nationals arriving in Japan must undergo a landing examination by an immigration inspector at the airport or seaport, and, as a rule, may not land without receiving a seal of landing permission (or equivalent record) in their passport (Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act (ICRRA), Article 9, Paragraph 7). The immigration inspector examines whether the person meets the four conditions for landing in Article 7, Paragraph 1, and must affix the seal of landing permission once they find that the conditions are met (Article 9, Paragraph 1).

For the steps before the landing examination, see our guide on the Certificate of Eligibility (COE) application. For an overview of residence statuses, see our guide to types of residence status in Japan.

What Is the Landing Examination?

The landing examination is the procedure at a Japanese port of entry (airport or seaport) in which an immigration inspector decides whether to permit a foreign national to land.

The immigration inspector examines whether the applicant meets the four conditions for landing set out in Article 7, Paragraph 1 of the ICRRA. The applicant must prove that they meet the conditions (Article 7, Paragraph 2).

The Seal of Landing Permission: “Shall”

Article 9, Paragraph 1 of the ICRRA provides that when the immigration inspector finds, as a result of the examination, that the foreign national meets the conditions for landing, the inspector “shall” affix the seal of landing permission to the passport.

This differs from permission to change status of residence or extend the period of stay (Articles 20 and 21), which may be granted only when there are reasonable grounds to grant them.

Routes to Landing

The routes by which foreign nationals land in Japan can be broadly divided into five patterns:

Pattern	Who	Example of prior steps
A	Nationals of visa-exempt countries landing as Temporary Visitors	Apply for landing with a passport only
B	Nationals of visa-exempt countries landing with a status other than Temporary Visitor	COE application → visa application → apply for landing
C	Nationals of other countries landing as Temporary Visitors	Visa application → apply for landing
D	Nationals of other countries landing with a status other than Temporary Visitor	COE application → visa application → apply for landing
E	Holders of a re-entry permit	Apply for landing with the passport bearing the re-entry permit (no visa required)

For re-entry permit holders, the examination is limited to conditions 1 (valid passport) and 4 (not falling under the grounds for denial of landing) (Article 7, Paragraph 1, opening clause).

Conditions for Landing

Article 7, Paragraph 1 of the ICRRA sets out four conditions for landing.

Condition 1: Valid Passport and Visa (Article 7(1)(i))

The passport, and the visa where one is required, must be valid.

Validity of the passport:

A passport obtained by impersonating another person, or a forged or altered passport, would not be considered a valid passport.

Nature of a visa:

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) explains that a visa is one of the requirements for entering Japan under the ICRRA and does not guarantee entry (MOFA, “Visa”). Even with a visa, landing is not permitted unless the other conditions are met.

Japan has visa exemption arrangements with certain countries and regions. Nationals covered by these arrangements may apply for landing without a visa when they intend to engage in Temporary Visitor activities. The list of countries and regions changes from time to time; see MOFA’s list of visa exemptions.

Condition 2: Eligibility for a Status of Residence (Article 7(1)(ii))

The activities the person intends to engage in in Japan must not be false, must fall under one of the statuses of residence in the ICRRA, and, for statuses subject to landing permission criteria, must meet those criteria.

Specifically, the following three points are examined:

1. Genuineness: The intended activities are not false
2. Eligibility for a status: The activities fall under Appended Table I, or are activities of a person with a status or position under Appended Table II (Designated Activities are limited to those specified by public notice and Long-Term Resident to positions specified by public notice; Permanent Resident and Highly Skilled Professional (ii) are excluded)
3. Landing permission criteria: For statuses in Appended Table I(2) and I(4), the activities meet the criteria in the Ministry of Justice ordinance

Condition 3: Period of Stay (Article 7(1)(iii))

The period of stay applied for must comply with the Ministry of Justice ordinance (Enforcement Regulation of the ICRRA) setting periods of stay.

Condition 4: Not Falling Under the Grounds for Denial of Landing (Article 7(1)(iv))

The person must not fall under any of the grounds for denial of landing in Article 5, Paragraph 1 of the ICRRA. These are explained in “Grounds for Denial of Landing” below.

The Examination Process

The landing examination can have up to three stages: examination by an immigration inspector, an oral hearing by a special inquiry officer, and an objection to the Minister of Justice.

Step 1: Applying for Landing

On arrival at a Japanese airport or seaport, the foreign national applies for landing to an immigration inspector at the port of entry (ICRRA, Article 6, Paragraph 2). The application requires the following passport and visa (Paragraph 1 of the same Article).

• The person must hold a valid passport
• Where a visa is required, the passport must bear the visa (not required for those covered by visa exemptions, re-entry permit holders, and others; proviso to Paragraph 1)

Step 2: Providing Personal Identification Information

Applicants for landing must provide personal identification information (fingerprints, photograph, etc.) electronically (ICRRA, Article 6, Paragraph 3).

Those who do not provide it are handed over to a special inquiry officer for an oral hearing (Article 7, Paragraph 4), and if they still do not provide it at the hearing, they are ordered to leave Japan (Article 10, Paragraph 7).

Exempt from providing the information (proviso to Article 6, Paragraph 3):

• Special permanent residents
• Persons under 16 years of age
• Persons who intend to engage in Diplomat or Official activities
• Persons invited by the head of a national administrative organ
• Persons specified by Ministry of Justice ordinance as equivalent to the previous two

Step 3: Examination by the Immigration Inspector

The immigration inspector examines whether the four conditions for landing are met. If they are, the inspector affixes the seal of landing permission to the passport, decides the status of residence and period of stay, and indicates them in the passport (ICRRA, Article 9, Paragraphs 1 and 3).

Step 4: Issuance of the Residence Card

People who become mid- to long-term residents are issued a residence card. According to the Immigration Services Agency (ISA), residence cards are issued together with the seal of landing permission at the following 10 airports (ISA, procedures at ports of entry, in Japanese):

• New Chitose, Sendai, Narita, Haneda, Chubu, Kansai, Kobe, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, and Naha

At other ports of entry, the passport is marked to show that the residence card will be issued later, and the card is in principle mailed to the person’s residence after they notify the municipal office of their place of residence.

If the Conditions Are Not Found to Be Met

If the immigration inspector does not affix the seal of landing permission, the person is handed over to a special inquiry officer for an oral hearing (ICRRA, Article 9, Paragraph 6; Article 10, Paragraph 1). This procedure is explained in “Oral Hearing and Objection” below.

Grounds for Denial of Landing

Article 5, Paragraph 1 of the ICRRA lists the categories of foreign nationals who may not land in Japan.

Main Categories

The grounds can be broadly grouped as follows (ICRRA, Article 5, Paragraph 1):

1. Public Health and Similar Grounds (Items 1–3)

• Patients with Class I or Class II infectious diseases and others under the Infectious Diseases Control Act, and persons with findings of a new infectious disease (Item 1)
• Persons who, due to a mental disability, habitually lack the capacity to understand right and wrong or whose capacity is significantly impaired, and who are not accompanied by a person to assist them (Item 2)
• Paupers, vagrants, and others likely to become a burden on the national or local government (Item 3)

2. Criminal Records and Antisocial Conduct (Items 4–8)

• Persons sentenced to imprisonment for one year or more, or an equivalent penalty, for violating the laws of Japan or another country (excluding political offenses; Item 4)
• Persons punished for violating laws on narcotics, cannabis, opium, stimulants, or psychotropic substances (Item 5)
• Persons who have been punished, deported from Japan, or removed from another country for violence or similar acts in connection with international sporting events or conferences, and who are likely to commit such acts in connection with such an event held in Japan (Item 5-2)
• Persons illegally possessing narcotics, stimulants, and the like (Item 6)
• Persons who have engaged in work directly connected with prostitution (excluding victims of trafficking; Item 7)
• Persons who have committed, solicited, or assisted trafficking in persons (Item 7-2)
• Persons illegally possessing firearms, crossbows, swords, or explosives (Item 8)

3. Prior Deportation, Departure Orders, or Denial of Landing (Items 9–10)

• Persons who have been deported or left under a departure order, and for whom the denial period described below has not passed (Item 9)
• Persons who were sentenced to imprisonment for certain crimes while residing in Japan with a status in Appended Table I and whose sentence became final while they were abroad, within five years of it becoming final (Item 9-2)
• Persons deported under Article 24, Item 4(o) to (yo) (advocating the violent destruction of the government, acts harmful to the interests or public security of Japan, etc.) (Item 10; no time limit)

4. Threats to Japan’s Interests or Public Security (Items 11–14)

• Persons who plan or advocate the destruction by force of the Constitution of Japan or the government established under it, and others (Items 11–13)
• Persons whom the Minister of Justice has reasonable grounds to believe are likely to commit acts harmful to the interests or public security of Japan (Item 14)

5. Reciprocity (Article 5, Paragraph 2)

If the country of a foreign national’s nationality or citizenship denies landing to Japanese nationals on grounds other than those in Paragraph 1, the Minister of Justice may deny landing to that foreign national on the same grounds.

Periods of Denial of Landing (Article 5(1)(ix))

The periods of denial for persons who have been deported, left under a departure order, and so on are as follows.

Category	Period of denial
Persons denied landing under Item 6 (illegal possession of drugs) or Item 8 (illegal possession of firearms, etc.)	One year from the date of denial
Deported persons who received a decision under Article 52, Paragraph 5 and left by the specified date (excluding those intending Temporary Visitor activities)	One year from departure
Deported persons never previously deported or ordered to depart (excluding the category above)	Five years from departure
Other deported persons (such as those deported for a second time or more)	Ten years from departure
Persons who left under a departure order (excluding the next category)	One year from departure
Persons falling under Article 24-3, Item 1(b) who left under a departure order (limited to those intending Temporary Visitor activities)	Five years from departure

The three deportation categories (one, five, and ten years) exclude persons deported under Article 24, Item 4(o) to (yo), or Item 4-3 (violence or similar acts in connection with international sporting events or conferences while staying as a Temporary Visitor). Those deported under Item 4(o) to (yo) fall under Item 10 with no time limit.

Relief When a Ground for Denial Applies

Even when a ground for denial applies, landing may be allowed under the following:

1. Special exception to denial of landing (ICRRA, Article 5-2): Even where a specific ground under Article 5, Paragraph 1, Item 4, 5, 7, 9, or 9-2 applies, the Minister of Justice may decide not to deny landing on that ground alone, where the Minister has granted a re-entry permit or in other cases specified by ordinance, if the Minister finds it appropriate.
2. Special permission to land (ICRRA, Article 12, Paragraph 1): Even when finding an objection groundless, the Minister of Justice may specially permit landing if the person has a re-entry permit, entered Japan under the control of another person through trafficking, or there are other circumstances warranting special permission.

Oral Hearing and Objection

These procedures apply when the immigration inspector does not grant landing permission.

Oral Hearing (ICRRA, Article 10)

The special inquiry officer must promptly conduct an oral hearing after receiving the person (Article 10, Paragraph 1).

• The foreign national or a representative they have appear may submit evidence and examine witnesses (Paragraph 3)
• With the special inquiry officer’s permission, the foreign national may have one relative or acquaintance present (Paragraph 4)

The outcome of the oral hearing is one of the following:

Outcome	What happens next
Found to meet the conditions for landing	The seal of landing permission is affixed immediately (Article 10, Paragraph 8)
Found not to meet the conditions	The person is told the reasons and that they may file an objection (Paragraph 10). If they accept the finding, they are ordered to leave Japan (Paragraph 11)

Objection (ICRRA, Article 11)

If the person objects to the special inquiry officer’s finding, they may, within three days of being notified, file an objection with the Minister of Justice by submitting a document stating the grounds to the supervising immigration inspector (Article 11, Paragraph 1).

The Minister’s decision is one of the following:

Decision	What happens next
The objection has grounds	The supervising immigration inspector immediately affixes the seal of landing permission (Article 11, Paragraph 4)
The objection has no grounds	The person is ordered to leave Japan (Paragraph 6)
No grounds, but an Article 12(1) case applies	Special permission to land may be granted (Article 12, Paragraph 1)

If Ordered to Leave

If a person ordered to leave cannot leave immediately for reasons not attributable to them, such as the operation of ships or aircraft, they may be permitted to stay at a designated facility near the port of entry for a designated period (ICRRA, Article 13-2, Paragraph 1).

Being ordered to leave is not in itself listed among the grounds for denial of landing in Article 5, Paragraph 1 (a person denied landing under Item 6 or Item 8 falls under Item 9(a) for one year from the date of denial). However, the four conditions are examined again at the next landing examination, so we recommend resolving the issues behind the previous finding before traveling again.

Provisional Landing Permission

The supervising immigration inspector may grant provisional landing until the landing procedure is completed, when they find it particularly necessary (ICRRA, Article 13, Paragraph 1). Conditions such as restrictions on residence and movement and a duty to appear when summoned may be attached, and a bond of up to ¥2 million may be required (Paragraph 3).

Preparing for the Landing Examination

Using a Certificate of Eligibility

A Certificate of Eligibility (COE) is issued by the Minister of Justice to certify that the activities a person intends to engage in in Japan meet the condition in Article 7, Paragraph 1, Item 2 (eligibility for a status and the landing criteria, etc.) (ICRRA, Article 7-2, Paragraph 1). For Highly Skilled Professional (i) and Specified Skilled Worker activities, compliance with Item 2 must be proven with a COE (Article 7, Paragraph 2).

Practical Preparation

In case you are referred to an oral hearing, we recommend:

• Bringing copies of the full set of documents submitted for the COE application
• Having the contact details (such as a mobile number) of the person in charge at the receiving organization (employer, etc.)
• If possible, having that person meet you at the airport

How We Can Help

As registered immigration specialists, AEGIS International Administrative Firm supports the procedures before the landing examination.

• Certificate of Eligibility applications: We confirm the status of residence that fits your intended activities, prepare the application documents, and file them with the ISA on your request (when the applicant or a representative, such as a staff member of the receiving organization, is in Japan)
• Consultations on status of residence: We take consultations before you apply, for example where a ground for denial of landing may apply

If you have any questions about the landing examination or status of residence, please feel free to contact us.

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This article provides a general explanation and does not constitute legal advice for individual cases.