Japan joined APEC Business Travel Card Scheme on April 1st 2003
(as of January 2006)
Japan joined APEC Business Travel Card Scheme
On April 1st 2003, Japan started to implement the APEC Business Travel Card scheme, which facilitates the movement of business people in the APEC region.
The APEC Business Travel Card enables business people from participating member economies with streamlined procedures for entry to APEC member economies. The credit-card size travel card contains personal identity details and is valid for up to three years for multiple, short-term business visits between participating member economies. To date 17 economies, Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, China, Hong Kong (China), Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand and Viet Nam are already participating in the scheme.
The APEC Business Travel Card provides streamlined procedures for entry and departure from participating economies through a system of pre-clearances, reducing the need to apply for multiple visas. Before each cardholder is issued a card, their entry is cleared by the participating APEC members, and they are fast-tracked through special APEC lanes at international airports on arrival.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan issues APEC Business Travel Cards to Japanese business people. The Ministerial Ordinance provides detailed procedures for issuance of cards.
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