TOKYO – The Japanese government has revealed that Filipino nationals ranked third in the number of visas issued by Japan in 2022. China secured the top position, followed by Vietnam in second place.
According to data published by Japan’s Foreign Ministry on June 16, a total of 134,607 Japanese visas were granted to Filipino nationals last year, representing approximately 10 percent of the overall visas issued.
Japan granted a total of 1,294,148 visas to foreign nationals in 2022, marking an impressive increase of approximately 1,333 percent from 2021.
The surge in visa issuance in 2022 is attributed to the relaxation of border measures aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19, in contrast to the previous year when visa issuance was significantly restricted, as stated by the foreign ministry.
Notably, the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines played a vital role by issuing 129,457 visas to Filipino nationals throughout the year.
The ministry emphasized that the number of visas issued differs from the count of foreign nationals entering Japan, as reported by the Immigration Services Agency. This distinction arises from instances of multiple visa usage and cases of visa exemption. - Florenda Corpuz
(People walk through a street in Tokyo’s Harajuku area. Photo by Din Eugenio/File)
