Passport application procedures have been streamlined in Japan to strengthen measures against counterfeiting and forgeries.
According to the Foreign Ministry, enhanced security features are being implemented based on recommendations from the International Civil Aviation Organization. Passports issued for applications submitted from Monday onward will feature a new design. Current passports will remain valid until they expire.
In the new passport, the previously separate photo page and IC chip page will be combined into a single plastic page. Personal information, including the photo and name, will be printed using laser technology based on banknote printing techniques, making forgery more difficult.
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