Brazilian leisure and business travellers planning short-term trips to Japan will soon have to clear an extra online hurdle. According to a draft immigration-law reform reported by the Nikkei and confirmed by Portuguese news agency Lusa, Tokyo will introduce a mandatory Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system—nicknamed “JESTA”—for citizens of the 74 countries that currently enjoy visa-free stays of up to 90 days. The list includes Brazil, Portugal, the United States and most of Latin America’s major outbound markets.
Under the bill, air carriers will be legally obliged to deny boarding to passengers who have not obtained the ETA in advance. Applicants will complete an online questionnaire covering personal data, purpose of visit and accommodation details, and will pay a yet-to-be-specified processing fee. The Japanese government intends to roll out the platform in the 2028 fiscal year (April 2028-March 2029).
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi defended the move in her inaugural policy speech on 21 February, saying it will “filter out undesirable foreigners” while facilitating entry for bona-fide visitors. The measure comes on the heels of a record 42.6 million tourist arrivals in 2025 and a public debate over the social impact of the country’s nearly 4 million foreign residents—Brazilians form the sixth-largest diaspora community in Japan.
![Japan to Require Electronic Travel Authorization for Brazilians From 2028]()
A practical way to stay ahead of these new requirements is by using VisaHQ’s streamlined digital service, which already assists Brazilian travellers with entry formalities worldwide and will add Japan’s JESTA as soon as it becomes available. The platform centralises data entry, application tracking and document storage, easing the workload for both vacationers and corporate travel departments. Full details can be found at https://www.visahq.com/brazil/
For Brazilian companies the new requirement means global-mobility teams must add JESTA registration to their pre-trip checklists for executives, engineers and service technicians bound for Japan. Travel managers will need to update online booking tools so that PNRs capture ETA numbers, mirroring existing U.S. ESTA compliance workflows. Airlines are also expected to upgrade DCS systems to perform automatic verifications at check-in, or face fines for inadmissible passengers.
While implementation is still two years away, organisations with large Japan traffic—automotive suppliers clustered in São Paulo and Paraná, for example—are advised to map volumes, budget for the yet-unknown fee and begin employee communications early to avoid last-minute disruptions once the go-live date is announced.
Under the bill, air carriers will be legally obliged to deny boarding to passengers who have not obtained the ETA in advance. Applicants will complete an online questionnaire covering personal data, purpose of visit and accommodation details, and will pay a yet-to-be-specified processing fee. The Japanese government intends to roll out the platform in the 2028 fiscal year (April 2028-March 2029).
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi defended the move in her inaugural policy speech on 21 February, saying it will “filter out undesirable foreigners” while facilitating entry for bona-fide visitors. The measure comes on the heels of a record 42.6 million tourist arrivals in 2025 and a public debate over the social impact of the country’s nearly 4 million foreign residents—Brazilians form the sixth-largest diaspora community in Japan.
A practical way to stay ahead of these new requirements is by using VisaHQ’s streamlined digital service, which already assists Brazilian travellers with entry formalities worldwide and will add Japan’s JESTA as soon as it becomes available. The platform centralises data entry, application tracking and document storage, easing the workload for both vacationers and corporate travel departments. Full details can be found at https://www.visahq.com/brazil/
For Brazilian companies the new requirement means global-mobility teams must add JESTA registration to their pre-trip checklists for executives, engineers and service technicians bound for Japan. Travel managers will need to update online booking tools so that PNRs capture ETA numbers, mirroring existing U.S. ESTA compliance workflows. Airlines are also expected to upgrade DCS systems to perform automatic verifications at check-in, or face fines for inadmissible passengers.
While implementation is still two years away, organisations with large Japan traffic—automotive suppliers clustered in São Paulo and Paraná, for example—are advised to map volumes, budget for the yet-unknown fee and begin employee communications early to avoid last-minute disruptions once the go-live date is announced.
