Filipinos who wish to visit Japan can now apply for a multiple-entry visa. This development is part of the effort of the government of Japan to increase their visitors from the Southeast Asian region. They are hoping to increase their visitors by 2.5 times from the current 2 million in 2016, which in turn will boost their economy.

The multiple-entry visa is also available for Vietnam citizens while tourists from Malaysia and Thailand is exempt from visa requirement.

The Cabinet of Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe said during a meeting of their cabinet ministers, "I ask for your cooperation to let many people from around the world directly experience beautiful Japan."

A white paper they released showed that 780,000 tourists from Southeast Asia visited them in 2012; their total visitors are 8.37 million.

Japan wish to encourage more visitors from Southeast Asia because they recognize the growing economies of the countries in this region. They also view its citizens as friendly to Japan and note the increasing number of middle-class and wealthy people there.

To further strengthen their tourism industry, Abe Cabinet implemented an action plan which emphasizes the need for Japan to host international conferences by appointing academic and business leaders as special ambassadors. They also want to promote Japan's attractions such as nature, food and traditional culture.  

Click for information on visa application to Japan.