Japan Allows Visa-Free Entry for Lesotho, Barbados, Türkiye

Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has specified that nationals from three countries (Lesotho, Barbados, and Türkiye) can enter Japan without a visa, provided they hold a Machine-Readable Passport (MRP) that complies with standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). This visa exemption for Lesotho and Barbados has been in place since 1 April 2010, while Türkiye's exemption began on 1 April 2011.

An ICAO-compliant MRP contains encoded personal information on the passport's identity page, allowing for electronic reading. Travelers from these countries without such a passport must obtain a visa prior to travel and may face strict examination and potential denial of entry upon arrival.

For stays exceeding 90 days, eligible nationals must apply for an extension through Japan's Ministry of Justice before their permitted stay expires. Additionally, Japan has a separate category for holders of electronic passports (ePassports) that meet ICAO standards, with various countries included in this group.