Chapter 4 Japan’s Diplomacy Open to the Public Section 1 Japanese Society and People Deepening Their Ties with the World … 318 Section 2 Supporting Japanese Nationals Overseas ……………………………… 337 Section 3 Diplomacy with the Support of the Public ……………………………… 351 Chapter 4 Japan’s Diplomacy Open to the Public Section 1 Japanese Society and People Deepening Their Ties with the World Overview Tapping the Power of Foreign Nationals from home and abroad. In the Japan for the Growth of Japan Revitalization Strategy (revised in 2014), the Increasing the number of people traveling policy is set forth that the government between Japan and other countries stimulates promote further utilization of foreign nationals. the economy and promotes mutual MOFA works with relevant ministries and understanding among different cultures. Based agencies to ensure that the system of on this view, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs accepting foreign nationals is well in line with (MOFA) takes steps to facilitate the entry of the principle of respect for human rights. foreign nationals to Japan and their stay in the MOFA encourages lively debates among country. people regarding the concrete challenges and The Government of Japan attaches measures arising from the acceptance of importance to promoting Japan as a tourism- foreign nationals and their integration into oriented country and regional vitalization in Japanese society. Japan. In this regard, in 2014, following on from International Organizations and Japanese the previous year, MOFA relaxed visa Nationals requirements, mainly for the Association of At international organizations, staff from all Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) member over the countries capitalize on their respective states. A depreciated yen, combined with other skills and traits to carry out activities for factors, contributed to reaching a record high of addressing global issues. Japan has been more than 13 million foreign visitors to Japan in providing financial and intellectual contributions 2014. At the same time, Japan conducts strict as well as personnel contributions to international visa screening to ensure that Japan remains the organizations. If more Japanese staff play active safest country in the world, all the while roles at international organizations, Japan will promoting Japan as a tourism-oriented country. have an enhanced presence in the international In order to further vitalize the Japanese community and human resources of Japan will be economy and increase Japan’s competitiveness, enriched. it is critical to secure outstanding manpower MOFA carries out programs to find, train, 318 Japanese Society and People Deepening Their Ties with the World Section 1 support, and provide information to Japanese programs are highly appreciated by various professionals who can play active roles at and countries, as the symbol of Japan’s aid with a contribute to international organizations. MOFA Japanese flag. In addition, the programs play a will continue to make active efforts to create an substantial role not only in local economic and environment where outstanding Japanese social development, but also in fostering nationals can play an active role on the global mutual understanding, friendship, and goodwill stage. between Japan and these countries and NGOs and Volunteers regions. Furthermore, these programs are also The Government of Japan promotes ‘‘All- significant from the viewpoint that the Japan’’ diplomacy which draws on the knowledge and experience that JICA strengths of non-governmental actors. In this volunteers gain are fed back into Japanese context, non-governmental organizations society once they return home. (NGOs) have become even more important in Cooperation with Local Governments recent years as implementers of support Local governments and communities play a activities in developing countries and as critical role in building multi-layered and Chapter 4 channels for offering policy proposals. NGOs friendly international relations in a wide range play a significant role in fields that Japan of fields, including fostering mutual international excels in and can make international understanding, developing relationships of contributions to, such as health, water and trust, and strengthening Japan’s brand. sanitation, education, disaster risk reduction, MOFA regards local governments and environment and climate change, and communities as important partners in emergency humanitarian assistance for promoting diplomacy, and aims to reinforce refugees and disaster victims. MOFA regards Japan’s comprehensive diplomatic capacity NGOs as important partners in international through the “All-Japan” approach. To this end, cooperation, and strives to strengthen MOFA engages in various collaborative partnerships with NGOs through financial activities with local governments and assistance, improving their operational communities based on the following priorities: environment, and policy dialogue. (1) conveying Japan’s local attractions to the Participants of the volunteer programs of world; (2) supporting the international initiatives the Japan International Cooperation Agency of local governments and communities; and (3) (JICA), including the Japan Overseas providing extensive information about Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) and the Senior international exchanges. Volunteers (SV), are crucial actors in In addition, MOFA established the Task international cooperation. In the countries or Force on Overcoming Population Decline and regions where they are dispatched, JICA Vitalizing Local Economy in Japan to advance volunteers see the development challenges the whole government’s efforts toward from the same perspective as local people and overcoming population decline and vitalizing work hard together to tackle them. Such local economies in Japan, which is one of the top Diplomatic Bluebook 2015 319 Chapter 4 Japan’s Diplomacy Open to the Public priorities of the Abe Cabinet. The Task Force local governments and communities and implements a robust diplomacy with a view of overseas which contribute to regional strengthening the partnerships between Japan’s vitalization in Japan. 1 Linking the Energy of Foreign Nationals to the Growth of Japan (1) Growth Strategy and Relaxation of Visa Requirements In the 2014 Revised Japan Revitalization Tourism-Oriented Country. In specific terms, Strategy released in June 2014, the Abe the following measures were taken: the administration aims to increase the number of introduction of multiple visas for nationals of foreign visitors to Japan to 20 million by 2020, Myanmar on January 15, the introduction of by taking advantage of the opportunity multiple visas for nationals of India on July 3, presented by the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and substantial relaxation of the requirements for Paralympics Games, and the whole government the issuance of multiple visas for nationals of is committed to making Japan a tourism- Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam on oriented country. Following the relaxation of September 30, simplification of the application visa requirements, including the waiver of visa procedure for single tourism visas for nationals requirements for visitors from Thailand and of these three countries participating in Malaysia in 2013, MOFA further relaxed visa package tours that are handled by accredited requirements in 2014 for countries from which travel agencies on November 20, and visa the number of visitors is expected to grow waiver for Indonesian nationals based on a strongly, which is set out in the Japan System of E-Passport Registration on Revitalization Strategy and the Action December 1. Furthermore, when Prime Program toward the Realization of Japan as a Minister Shinzo Abe visited Brazil in August, Changes in Number of Visa Issuances and Foreign Visitors to Japan China ROK Taiwan Hong Kong Thailand Other Number of foreign visitors to Japan 10 thousand 10 thousand issuances ●Visa waiver for Indonesian nationals visitors 350 ●Visa waiver for residents of Taiwan and Macao 1,600 ●Visa waiver for Thai and Malaysian nationals ●Visa waiver for nationals of Republic of Korea during the Expo 300 1,400 ●Indefinite Visa waiver for ●Great East Japan Earthquake and 1,200 250 citizens of Republic of Korea Fukushima nuclear accident 1,000 200 800 150 600 100 400 50 200 0 0 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Note 1: Number of foreign visitors to Japan is based on Japan National Tourist Organization (JNTO) statistics 320 Japanese Society and People Deepening Their Ties with the World Section 1 he announced the introduction of multiple exceeded 13.41 million, surpassing by far the visas for Brazilian nationals, which was record high of annual visitors registered in the followed by the announcement by Foreign previous year (10.36 million). Minister Fumio Kishida of relaxation of the As described above, relaxation of visa requirements for multiple visas for Chinese requirements is expected to make some nationals, on the occasion of the APEC contributions to the promotion of people-to- Ministerial Meeting (Beijing) on November 8. people exchange and to the growth of Japan’s Currently, coordination is underway toward economy, thus prompting calls for further early implementation of these measures. These relaxation. At the same time, strict visa measures are expected to contribute to the controls are practiced as a part of preventive efforts for the promotion of a tourism-oriented measures in order to bar entry of undesirables, country and regional revitalization as well as such