Japan is a stable, highly developed parliamentary democracy with a modern economy.
Tourist facilities are widely available. In fact, there is a huge numerical imbalance between Japanese who travel overseas and foreign visitors to Japan. To stimulate inbound tourism, Japan's Ministry of Transport announced Welcome Plan 21 in 1996, an initiative designed to double the number of international arrivals by 2005. For information about the Japanese visa waiver for tourists, Japan's strict rules on work visas, special visas to take depositions, and other visa issues, travelers should consult the Consular Section of the Embassy of Japan at 2520 Massachusetts Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008, tel.