Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
41
Passport Savvy
Safeguard your passport in an inconspicuous, inaccessible place, such as a
money belt, and keep a photocopy of your passport's information page in your
luggage. If you lose your passport, visit your nearest consulate as soon as possi-
ble for a replacement (see “Embassies and Consulates,” on p. 307).
Note:
All for-
eigners must present their passports for photocopying when checking into
lodging facilities. In addition, foreigners are required to carry with them at all
times either their passports or, for those who have been granted longer stays,
their alien registration cards. Police generally do not stop foreigners, but if you're
caught without an ID, you'll be taken to local police headquarters. It happened to
me once, and believe me, I can think of better ways to spend an hour and a half
than explaining in detail who I am, what I am doing in Japan, where I live, and
what I plan to do for the rest of my life. I even had to write a statement explain-
ing why I rushed out that day without my passport, apologizing and promising
never to do such a thoughtless thing again. The policemen were polite and were
simply doing their duty.
stays of up to 3 months, and
United
Kingdom
and
Irish citizens
can stay up
to 6 months without a visa.
If your nationality requires a visa for
Japan, please visit “Fast Facts,” on p. 306,
for more information.
CUSTOMS
If you're 20 or older, you can bring duty-
free into Japan up to 400 non-Japanese
cigarettes or 500 grams of tobacco or 100
cigars; three bottles (760cc each) of alco-
hol; and 2 ounces of perfume. You can also
bring in goods for personal use that were
purchased abroad whose total market
value is less than ¥200,000.
What You Can Take
Home from Tokyo
For information on what you're allowed to
bring home, contact one of the following
agencies:
U.S. Citizens:
U.S. Customs & Bor-
der Protection (CBP),
1300 Pennsylvania
Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20229
(
&
877/287-8667;
www.cbp.gov).
Canadian Citizens:
Canada Border
Services Agency
(
&
800/461-9999
in
Canada, or 204/983-3500; www.cbsa-asfc.
gc.ca).
U.K. Citizens:
HM Customs & Excise
at
&
0845/010-9000
(from outside the
U.K., 020/8929-0152), or consult the
website at www.hmce.gov.uk.
Australian Citizens:
Australian Cus-
toms Service
at
&
1300/363-263,
or log
on to www.customs.gov.au.
New Zealand Citizens:
New Zealand
Customs,
The Customhouse, 17-21
Whitmore St., Box 2218, Wellington
(
&
04/473-6099
or 0800/428-786; www.
customs.govt.nz).
MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS
Unless you're arriving from an area known
to be suffering from an epidemic (particu-
larly cholera or yellow fever), inoculations
or vaccinations are not required for entry
into Japan. Note, however, that at press
time, all passengers arriving at Narita Air-
port are requested to fill out a question-
naire in-flight regarding symptoms of the
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