Japan relaxes visa requirements for Filipinos

MANILA, Philippines — Japan has eased the visa requirements for Philippine citizens  to promote people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

The Japanese Embassy in Manila, in a statement, said the number of applicants eligible for multiple entry visas for short term stay has been expanded. Filipinos who will visit Japan for business and those who are cultural and intellectual figures are covered by the relaxed policy.

The validity period of the visas has been also extended to 10 years from the previous five years.

The relaxation of visa requirements for Filipinos takes effect this month.

“The abovementioned relaxation of visa requirements is expected to contribute to improvement of convenience for tourists and increase in repeat visitors as well as further advancement of people-to-people exchanges between Japan and the Republic of the Philippines,” Japanese Embassy said.

The application for multiple entry visa will be announced on the website of Foreign Ministry, the embassy also noted.

Tokyo will host the next summer Olympic games in 2020. — Gaea Katreena Cabico