Thank you, Hong Kong Immigration. Last week I received a "HKIA Frequent Visitor Card" that lets me use the special, facilitated-entry immigration channel when I visit Hong Kong on business. By contrast, in Japan, I will be suddenly treated like a suspected criminal and/or terrorist from Nov. 20 -- even though I have lived in Kobe for the past 20 years with my fingerprints and photos on file with the local ward office and numerous government departments.
From Nov. 20, I will have to line up with all other foreign arrivals at Kansai International Airport and provide fingerprints and photos again, and again on every subsequent re-entry into the country, thus forgoing the Japanese national and re-entry permit-holder's channel that I have used for the past 20 years. A two-minute immigration queue will extend up to two hours. Any guess as to where I'd prefer to do business from now on?
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