Japan Visa for Israelis — Entry, Visit Japan Web and What You Can Bring

For Israelis, entering Japan is simple: no visa is needed for a trip of up to 90 days, and there is no form to file in advance. There are still a few things to sort out before you fly, and some of them changed recently: Visit Japan Web, a new departure tax, a tax refund that moved to the airport, and an electronic travel authorization planned for 2028.

This guide walks through what happens from the moment you book a ticket until you leave Japan. For the flights themselves, see the flights from Israel to Japan guide.

Visa-free for 90 days

Israel is on the list of countries whose citizens are exempt from a visa for short stays in Japan, according to Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On arrival you receive Temporary Visitor status for 90 days. The exemption covers tourism, visiting relatives and business meetings, not paid work. Anyone planning to work, study long-term or stay more than 90 days needs the right visa through the Embassy of Japan in Israel.

Not an Israeli citizen? Japan has visa exemption arrangements with 74 countries and regions, including most of Europe, the US, the UK and Australia, usually for 90 days. Russian citizens, for example, do need a visa. Check your passport on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs list before booking.

Your passport

Your passport must be valid for the whole stay in Japan. Airlines prefer some margin, so if it expires in the coming months, renew it before booking. Use the same passport for the flight booking, Visit Japan Web and tax-free purchases, since the passport number is recorded at every step.

Visit Japan Web — before landing

Visit Japan Web is a free government service where you fill in the arrival card and the customs declaration in advance and get a QR code to scan at the airport. Fill it in on your phone a few days before the flight and keep a screenshot of the code in case there is no signal when you land. It isn’t mandatory; if you skip it, you get a paper form. Note that some websites charge a fee to “register” you, but the official site is free.

What happens at immigration

At immigration your passport is scanned, your face photographed and both index fingers fingerprinted, as with every foreign visitor. A landing sticker with the date and your status of stay then goes into your passport; keep it, it matters when you leave. From there you collect your bags and go through customs, where you scan the QR code.

Medicines: what is allowed and what isn’t

Japan is stricter on medicines than most countries. You may bring prescription medicine for personal use, up to a one-month supply, ideally with a prescription or doctor’s letter in English. You may not bring stimulants, even with a prescription, including some ADHD medicines (for example Adderall). Some cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine are restricted. For more than a month’s supply, or for opioid painkillers, you need prior approval from the Japanese authorities. On regular medication? Check the active ingredient on the Japanese Ministry of Health’s website before you fly.

Customs: duty-free allowances

Adults over 20 may bring in duty-free 3 bottles of alcohol (about 760 ml each), 200 cigarettes and 2 ounces of perfume. Other goods bought abroad are duty-free up to a total value of ¥200,000. Cash and other means of payment worth more than ¥1 million must be declared. Meat and meat products, including sausages and canned meat, are banned, as are fresh fruit and plants without a certificate.

On the way out: departure tax and tax refund

Since 1 July 2026 the International Tourist Tax is ¥3,000 per person for every departure from Japan, included in your air fare. Since 1 November 2026 the tax refund on purchases also happens on the way out: you pay full price in the shop and get the 10% tax back at customs at the airport, before check-in. If you have refunds to claim, arrive early. Full details in the money in Japan guide.

JESTA — what’s coming in 2028

Japan is building JESTA, an electronic travel authorization for visa-exempt visitors, similar to the US ESTA. Parliament passed the law in May 2026, and launch is planned for fiscal year 2028, between April 2028 and March 2029. Price and process have not been published. You don’t need it for flights before then, and we will update this page when a date is set.

Online from the first minute

Visit Japan Web, maps, train apps and a Suica card on your phone: you need all of them at the airport. The easy way is an eSIM you install at home and activate on landing.

Japan eSIM — install before you fly

For the train from the airport, a Suica card is handy: add it to your phone’s digital wallet or buy a physical card in advance.

Suica card for visitors

---

From here: choose a flight from Israel to Japan, read the money in Japan guide, or go back to the complete Japan guide.