JESTA news and updates
This page records each official step towards JESTA, newest first. Last updated on 22 October 2026.
Timeline
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | In its budget request for fiscal year 2027, the Ministry of Justice asked for about ¥26.4 billion to bring in JESTA early. The Immigration Services Agency said JESTA will start within fiscal year 2028. |
| 5 June 2026 | The law creating JESTA was promulgated as Act No. 32 of 2026. |
| 29 May 2026 | The House of Councillors passed the bill and it became law. The same day, the Immigration Services Agency published a contract notice for adapting its systems to JESTA. |
| 28 April 2026 | The House of Representatives passed the bill. |
| 17 April 2026 | In committee, officials said the fee had not been decided and described the details applicants would give. |
| 10 March 2026 | The cabinet approved the bill amending the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act and sent it to the Diet. |
| 23 December 2025 | Kyodo News reported that the government was considering a fee of ¥2,000–3,000. This is a news report, not an official announcement. |
Still to be announced
- The start date, to be set by cabinet order
- The fee
- How long an authorisation is valid
- The official website and its languages
- Which transit passengers are covered
How this page is kept up to date
We check the Immigration Services Agency’s pages and the Diet records, and add each new official step here with its date. News reports are marked as such.