In tourism, Japan ranks 11th in overseas travelers, while taking 33rd place in attracting foreign travelers. Japan thus has a huge imbalance in tourism.

The government is promoting measures to make Japan a country built on tourism, setting the goal of doubling the annual number of foreign tourists visiting Japan by 2010.

In April 2003, the Japanese Tourism Advisory Council, a group of experts, submitted a report subtitled "Building a Country That Is Comfortable to Live in and Visit" in order to realize a country built on tourism. In response, the Cabinet Ministers Committee for a Country Built on Tourism, consisting of all the cabinet ministers decided on an "Action Plan for a Country Built on Tourism" in July 2003, putting forward specific measures. In November 2004, the Committee for a Promotion Strategy for a Country Built on Tourism presented 55 proposals to effectively and comprehensively implement measures for realizing a country built on tourism. The immigration control administration will contribute to realizing a country built on tourism through implementation of smooth immigration procedures for foreign travelers visiting Japan, while taking note of the problem of illegal foreign residents and other issues.

In order to realize smooth examination for landing of foreign nationals including tourists upon their entry into Japan, one goal is to shorten the examinations for landing for a large number of problem-free foreign nationals while introducing a secondary examination system( $ ^{*} $ 1) and a preclearance system( $ ^{*} $ 2) to secure strict examination depending on the situation.

(*1) The secondary examination system is designed to ensure both smooth, swift examinations for landing and strict examinations. Under the system, foreign nationals who clearly meet the conditions for landing may be given permission for landing at the landing examination booths. Those whose purposes for entry and other matters engender some doubt may be moved to a different booth for secondary examination in order to carry out a stricter examination of satisfaction of the conditions for landing.

(*2) The pre-clearance system means that immigration officers are sent to foreign airports for preliminary checks of foreign nationals traveling to Japan. Foreign nationals who have reasons to be rejected by Japan may be recommended to cancel their trips to Japan. These officers may also confirm foreign nationals' planned activities in Japan as authentic at foreign airports so that their examination process at Japanese airports or seaports may be simplified thereby shortening their waiting time and forestalling illegal residence problems.

## (4) Appropriate Acceptance of Foreign College and Pre-college Students

Foreign college and pre-college students in Japan are called “ambassadors from the future” since they are expected to increase mutual understanding and to deepen the friendship between Japan and other countries. Foreign nationals who are interested in Japan and choose to study at colleges or pre-college schools in Japan can be expected to become those who truly understand Japan through their studies and experience of Japanese culture. If such foreign nationals gain special knowledge and skills and become active in Japan or foreign countries, this will help support Japan’s development in both economic and cultural fields. From this viewpoint, foreign college and pre-college students should be openly accepted.

In 2003, although Japan achieved the 1983 plan to accept 100,000 foreign students, a significant number of the foreign nationals disguised themselves as college or pre-college students to enter and stay in Japan when, in fact, their real purpose was to work. Some foreign nationals who entered Japan as college or pre-college students ended up working illegally or committing crimes for financial and other reasons. Therefore, there is a need to improve the quality of the policy for accepting foreign students.

In order to accept as college or pre-college students foreign nationals who truly wish to study in Japan and who will become active in various fields with a good understanding of Japan, it is necessary to improve education at colleges and other schools and to implement appropriate selection of school entrants and efficient management of their enrollment. For the purpose of allowing foreign students to increase their motivation for learning and to study without anxiety, it is also vital to expand scholarships, develop housing and other conditions and improve the quality of college education.

A cooperative link between these measures and the immigration control administration is of great importance, and through such means as utilizing the results of Japanese language tests and other tests