JESTA has no confirmed start date yet
The legal framework was enacted in 2026. The operating provisions will begin on a date set by Cabinet Order, but that date has not been published. JESTA is therefore not operating, and an exact day, month or guaranteed year should not be presented as official.
The confirmed JESTA timeline
May 29, 2026: Amendment passed
The amendment establishing the electronic travel authorization framework passed the National Diet during its 221st session.
June 5, 2026: Act promulgated
The amendment was promulgated as Act No. 32 of 2026.
Date not yet set: Cabinet Order required
The relevant provisions will commence on a date specified by Cabinet Order.
By March 31, 2029: Statutory outer limit
The commencement date must fall within the period stated in the supplementary provisions.
The first two milestones are completed legislative events. The remaining milestones depend on future government action and implementation announcements.
When JESTA Will Start
A statutory commencement window tells the government when the relevant provisions must be brought into force. It does not identify the operational launch day, traveler registration date or first date on which carriers will check authorization.
Public discussion may refer to an intended year such as 2028, but an intention, media report or system-development schedule is not the same as a legally fixed launch date. This page labels dates as confirmed only when they appear in an official government record.
What must happen before travelers are affected?
- Cabinet Order: the government must set the commencement date for the relevant provisions.
- Operating rules: authorities must publish the system’s scope, exceptions and traveler-facing procedures.
- Official portal: a verified government service and support information must become available.
- Carrier guidance: airlines and other transport operators need instructions for pre-departure checks.
- Public notice: travelers need a clear opening date and transition information before enforcement.
These steps may not be announced at the same time. A test website or airline notice alone does not prove that the legal requirement has begun.
How to verify a future launch announcement
Use official government notices
Check the Immigration Services Agency of Japan, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan for the legal commencement date and traveler guidance.
Then check carrier instructions
Airline and travel-industry notices can explain operational checks, but they should be read alongside the government rules.
When a date is announced, this page should record the publishing authority, announcement date, effective date and a link to the source rather than relying on an unattributed summary.
Start-date questions
Has JESTA already started?
No. The framework exists, but the traveler-facing system is not operating as of September 9, 2026.
Is JESTA confirmed for 2028?
No exact date is fixed in the published law. Reports about an intended schedule should not be treated as a final commencement notice.
Will applications open before the legal requirement starts?
A transition or advance-registration period is possible, but no such schedule has been published.
What entry rules apply until launch?
Travelers should continue following Japan’s current visa, visa-exemption, passport and border requirements.
Related JESTA guides
What is JESTA?
Understand the purpose and place of travel authorization in Japan’s entry system.
Eligible countries and passports
See why the current visa-exemption list is only a starting reference.