examinations are being further promoted. Following the installation of the automated gates at Narita Airport in November 2007, automated gates were installed at Chubu Airport and Kansai Airport in September 2009 and were additionally installed at Haneda Airport in October 2010, and by the end of 2013, 40 automated gates had been installed throughout the country.

In addition, a test trial of facial recognition technology was conducted in 2012, and the abovementioned “Study Results” reported that although it would be difficult to immediately start the implementation of automated gates using face recognition only, it is advisable to keep a close eye on technological developments, continue with studies on their use and implement them at an early date. With this in mind, test trials of facial recognition technology were carried out in the examinations for the departure

and return of Japanese nationals at Narita Airport and Haneda Airport from August 4 to September 5, 2014 for the purpose of collecting data such as on the accuracy of verification depending on differences in the environment and conditions at the time of the photograph of the passenger being taken, and 23,000 Japanese nationals cooperated by taking part in the trial. In the future, a study will be carried out with regard to introducing facial recognition technology in Japan based on the opinions of experts and using the status of implementation of facial recognition technology in other countries as reference.

Automated gates

User registration of automated gates was started at the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau and the Narita Airport District Immigration Office in November 2007, followed by the Nagoya Regional Immigration Bureau, the Chubu Airport District Immigration Office, the Osaka Regional Immigration Bureau and the Kansai Airport District Immigration Office in September 2009, and the Haneda Airport District Immigration Office of the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau in October 2010.

Moreover, in order to promote user registration of the automated gates in 2013, as well as increasing the number of devices for user registration and posting information in airport facilities and in-flight magazines through the cooperation of the airport operating companies and airline companies, the Immigration Bureau has been working to improve its administrative services with regard to those persons wishing to register for use of the automated gates through such means as sending immigration officers to the prefectural passport offices in order to enable mobile on-the-spot user registration.

## 3 Response to Cruise Ship Passengers

In recent years, the number of cruise ships calling at ports in Japan have increased and they are getting much larger in size. In response to requests from the municipalities hosting the cruise ships at their ports, for prompt processing of post-arrival procedures to enable passengers to fully enjoy sightseeing and other activities within the limited time the ship stays at the port, the Immigration Bureau has been conducting prompt examinations onboard ship, while securing strict examinations, since June 2012. These efforts include preparation for onboard examinations for large-sized cruise ships, adoption of a new method of examination utilizing arrival permits at the port of call, utilization of examination devices for which the systems have been modified, and the dispatch of help personnel for examinations across Japan.