Japan is aiming to lure more tourists to the country through a new initiative shortening the time needed for entry procedures on arrival at airports.
The pre-clearance system will allow visitors to undergo most entry screenings at departure airports. Those who have completed the process will only need to go through simple arrival procedures at Japanese airports.
The government plans to implement the program for travelers from Taiwan, starting next January. It will then seek to expand the scope covered by the system while examining its effectiveness.
But some Japanese sightseeing areas are struggling with overtourism, with excessive numbers of tourists and their bad manners affecting the lives of local residents. This is also raising concerns that visitors may not feel as satisfied as they expect.
The government plans to compile guidelines by the end of the year to tackle the issue. Officials are expected to discuss whether to allow and how to charge admission for tourist sites as well as special fees and prices for foreign visitors.
The Japan National Tourism Organization says 3.04 million foreign travelers visited Japan in May. That marks the third straight month of more than 3 million foreign travelers since March, when an all-time high of over 3.08 million arrived in the country.