In a Bid to Advance International Co-operation, the UAE Has Granted Japan Citizens Free Entry Into Its Territory
The UAE government has entered into a visa-free travel agreement which grants Japanese citizens free entry into the Emirates. The visa-free program is to kick off on November 1 2022. Both countries’ agreements foster tourism and business between their territories.
What are the Details of the Visa-Free Entry into the Emirates
The UAE will launch a vis-free program in collaboration with the Japanese government. This program allows Emirate citizens to visit Japan without a visa. All UAE citizens with a passport valid for up to six months can enter Japan without requiring a visa, provided they intend to remain within Japan for only 30 days. This visa is strictly for tourism and business purposes.
The visa-free entry scheme is not limited to the Japanese government alone. UAE citizens qualified to travel will have to provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 test taken 72 hours prior. Alternatively, they can present evidence of three doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Reciprocal obligations would be required on the part of the UAE government.
The agreement is the fruit of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the UAE and Japan. It has been signed by Dr Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, the Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology for the UAE, and Yoshimasa Hayashi, the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs. This partnership is solely directed to bring about significant development in important facets of both countries.
What are the Expected Benefits of the Visa-free Entry Scheme
The scheme is geared towards ensuring bilateral cooperation between both countries. The agreement will bring significant economic development for both countries. It will quell the otherwise rocky diplomatic and political relations between the countries. The UAE’s Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Sultan Al Jaber, has remarked that the agreement will encourage tourism, cultural, and academic exchanges to the end that new opportunities for business, trade, development, and investment are created for both countries.
The cooperation between the countries also extends to the availability of reciprocal economic, energy, and industry assistance. The UAE and Japanese governments strongly believe that the scheme’s inception will bring about significant growth in infrastructure, tourism, education, agriculture, healthcare, and technology, particularly artificial intelligence.
Notably, both countries have always maintained cordial economic and cultural relations, with the UAE supplying oil over 20% of Japanese oil needs for over 50 years. The Japanese government has also been in a strong trade relationship with the Emirate, having invested over $14 billion in the latter’s infrastructure and economy.
Conclusion
Without overstating issues, it is clear that the visa-free scheme between the UAE and the Japanese is one of many brilliant schemes. Indeed, it comes with several benefits for both countries. Citizens can eagerly anticipate what the month of November has in store concerning the scheme. They have also spent time preparing for its launch, as the agreement has been pending since 2018.
Last Updated on 9 months by News Editor
