G7/G8

International Media Center (IMC)

Location: 1-5, Nakajima-cho, Naka-ku, Hiroshima

• International Conference Center Hiroshima
• Access

[Shuttle Bus Service]
From April 9 to 11, a free shuttle bus will be operated between IMC and around Heiwa Odori Boulevard.

[Media Parking Lot]
Located at the former Hiroshima Baseball Stadium Site. (10 mins walk to/from IMC, 24/7, free of charge. No Vehicle Pass needed. First-come and first-served basis.)

Media Organization Registration: Tuesday, 1 March to Friday, 18 March, 2016 (Japan Time) [Media Organization Registration is closed.]
Media Personnel Registration (Application for Press ID): Tuesday, 15 March to Thursday, 31 March, 2016 (Japan Time)

All media organizations and media personnel must apply for Press ID cards (hereafter referred to as "Press ID") for the G7 Hiroshima Foreign Ministers' Meeting. To apply for the Press ID, media organization must first complete a registration process. After having your media organization registered successfully, please proceed to Press ID application of individual media personnel of your organizations from March 15. For details, please read the circular (PDF) released on 17 February, 2016.

Procedure for Media Accreditation

1. Register your media organization. (each organization must select one representative)
   Freelance journalists who are contracted with an organization are requested to make their application under that organization's name. Freelance journalists who are not affiliated with any organization are required to apply individually for registration as a media organization.
   
   Important: The media organization registration for G7 Hiroshima Foreign Ministers' is different from that of Ise-Shima Summit. Please send the designated format (Excel) by email attaching PDF data of a scanned certificate of employment of the representative.
   (Note) Please put "Media Organization Registration" in the Email subject line. [Media Organization Registration is closed.]
2. Once a media organization has been registered, it will be sent a URL to apply for Press IDs from 15 March. Since the URL is given to each registered media organization, please do not share your URL with other organizations and handle it carefully.
3. Registered media Organizations can then access the URL and apply for Press IDs for their Media Personnel. Once the application for Press IDs has been accepted and accredited successfully, a confirmation letter will be sent by email.

Required documents for Media Organization Registration

1. PDF file (2MB or smaller) of a scanned certificate of employment of the registered representative

[For freelance journalists who are not affiliated with any organization]

• (1) PDF file (2MB or smaller) of scanned articles with the freelances name (within the last 6 months)
• (2) PDF file (2MB or smaller) of scanned Letters of recommendation from media organization (s) or government agency (s) (if available)
• (3) PDF file (2MB or smaller) of a scanned member card of the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan (if available)

Required documents for Media Personnel Registration

1. PDF file of a scanned photo-bearing ID
   (passport, company ID card, driver's license) (2MB or smaller)
2. PDF file of a scanned certificate of employment (2MB or smaller)
3. A digital portrait photograph (in JPEG format) (2MB or smaller)

For Inquiries:

NOTICE

• Media organization registration on and after 19 March or application for Press IDs on and after 1 April will not be accepted. All journalists who wish to engage in media coverage at Foreign Ministers' Meeting must apply in a timely manner.
• Due to the limited space available and security reasons, only media pool may cover the Foreign Ministers' Meeting events. Media representatives who will cover the events must obtain an appropriate Pool Card besides the Press ID. Details regarding the Pool Cards will be informed in due course.
• Security procedures will be strictly maintained in the area surrounding the IMC during the Foreign Ministers' Meeting. Those who are expected to access the areas around IMC such as messengers or car drivers employed by media organizations, are also advised to apply for Press IDs.
• No special treatment will be taken regarding entry into Japan or visa issuance for foreign media who are applying for the Media Organization Registration and Press IDs. It is the responsibility of each media organization to obtain visa for its members. For visa inquiries, please contact Embassy or Consulate-General of Japan serving your area.

Accommodations for journalists can be booked through the Accommodation Booking Center in Hiroshima City. The accommodation booking for journalists is open on the following website. (Deadline: 23:59 of March 20, 2016, Japan time (GMT+9))

• The G7 Hiroshima Foreign Ministers' Meeting Accommodation Booking Center website

For inquiries, please contact below. (English available)
G7 Hiroshima Foreign Ministers' Meeting Accommodation Booking Center
TEL: +81-82-542-2735
FAX: +81-82-542-2738
Email: gaisyou@cs.jtb.jp
Office Hours: 09 :30-17 :00 (GMT+9)
(Closed on Saturdays, Sundays and Japanese public holidays）

• For general information on your stay in Japan (e.g. information on money, banking, electricity, transportation, accommodations, etc.), please refer to the polyglot website of the Japan National Tourism Organization.
• Foreign Press Center Japan (FPCJ) provides useful information and assistance for foreign media covering Japan. Please refer to the website of FPCJ.

Visas

Foreign nationals who wish to temporarily enter Japan with the purpose of exercising media activities will be required to obtain temporary visitor visas prior to departure. A temporary visitor visa can be applied at the Embassies or Consulates-General of Japan serving your area. It cannot be obtained after you landed in Japan.
Please click here for visa application documents.
Japan currently takes measures concerning the waiver of visa requirements for nationals of 67 countries and regions who wish to stay in Japan for a short term. Nationals of these countries and regions holding valid passports are not required to obtain a visa.

Important: Temporary visitor visas are required for American nationals who wish to enter Japan with the purpose of engaging temporarily in the activities of information media regardless of the visa waiver arrangement.

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (visa information)

Immigration

Foreign nationals must hold valid passports with the approved visas for the purpose of entering Japan unless exempt from visas.

New immigration procedures have been implemented since November 20, 2007. In addition to submitting embarkation & disembarkation cards, foreign nationals entering Japan are required to be fingerprinted and photographed (facial photographs) by means of special devices (except for certain exempts), then interviewed by immigration inspectors. If a foreign national who is not eligible for exemption from this requirement refuses to submit his/her fingerprints or facial photographs, he/she will be denied entry into Japan and will be ordered to leave.

• Immigration Bureau

Customs, Accompanying Filming Equipment (regarding ATA Carnet)

It is required to submit a customs declaration form for both accompanied and unaccompanied baggage at customs clearance. If you bring in items or cash exceeding the limit of the duty-free allowances, please follow the necessary customs procedures.

• Customs

In Japan, an ATA Carnet can be used for goods being temporarily imported. If you have filming or other professional equipment, you can use an ATA Carnet for import/export customs clearance. To obtain a carnet to bring goods into Japan, contact your local Chamber of Commerce.

• The Japan Commercial Arbitration Association (regarding ATA Carnet. Japanese only)

Quarantine

In order to prevent infectious diseases and situations that may seriously affect the nation's health, quarantine inspections and import/export procedures are undertaken for all persons, food, animals, and plants arriving from abroad.

• Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, Quarantine Office (Japanese only)
• Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Animal Quarantine Service
• Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Plant Protection Station