Amid a surge in foreign tourists, newly appointed Justice Minister Mitsuhide Iwaki said Friday that tightening immigration control at airports is one of the ministry's most urgent priorities.
It is imperative that counter-terrorism efforts at airports be stepped up, as the country experiences an unprecedented rise in the number of tourists that may reach a record annual total of 20 million by the end of this fiscal year, Iwaki said during a group interview with the media.
But at the same time, the surge in tourists is clogging passport control at major international airports, highlighting the need for streamlining scrutiny of low-risk visitors, he said.
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