### Chapter 4. Smooth and Strict Implementation of Immigration Examination at the Port of Entry

In order to contribute to the realization of a tourism-oriented country, it is important on the one hand to strive to implement smooth entry examinations for the majority of foreign nationals, who come to Japan without causing any problems, but in order to realize a society where Japanese nationals and foreign nationals can live together harmoniously, it is also necessary to implement strict entry examinations and reliably prevent the entry of foreign nationals whose objective is terrorism, illegal work or other illegal activities.

The number of foreign nationals entering Japan in 2014 reached approximately 14 million and it is expected that this number will continue to increase in the future, but since acts of terrorism are taking place in many parts of the world and Japanese nationals have been held captive and murdered, the Immigration Bureau has been working to reconcile the seemingly conflicting goals of stricter yet smoother examinations through the implementation of strict and smooth examinations depending on the case.

## Section 1 ◆ Efforts to Promote a Tourism-Oriented Country

## Efforts to Reduce the Waiting Time for Examinations

Currently, the entire Japanese government is working together on measures for the realization of Japan as a tourism-oriented country, and as in the past, the Immigration Bureau has been striving to facilitate even smoother landing procedures at each of the airports and seaports. The Immigration Bureau took such measures as introducing secondary examinations (secondary screening) in FY 2005, and establishing an examination support team at Chitose Tomakomai Branch Office and Haneda Airport Branch Office (currently Haneda Airport District Immigration Office) in FY 2006 and at Fukuoka Regional Immigration Bureau in FY 2009, and a framework has been formed to provide more efficient support for examinations conducted by the regional airports.

Furthermore, in order to prevent stopping and confusion in the crowded examination areas and to achieve smoother examinations using the limited capacity of the examination areas to the fullest extent possible, measures are being implemented to reduce the waiting time such as stationing interpreters and examination booth concierges in the examination areas, who guide passengers to empty booths, provide assistance and check the details written in the ED cards, provide guidance and help with the procedures for the biometric information devices $ (*) $ , as well as ensuring flexible use of the examination booths for Japanese nationals and the examination booths for foreign nationals.

## ② Automated Gates

Japanese nationals and foreign nationals satisfying certain requirements (in possession of re-entry permission, etc.), who have registered in advance as users of the automated gates, are able to undergo the immigration procedures by using the automated gates and do not have to undergo the usual examination by the immigration inspector at the immigration examination booth, and in this way, smooth but strict 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