When I left KIX (airport) for a business trip to Taiwan last week, I was very curtly told by an official that I had presented an old re-entry form and, from Nov. 1, would have to use the revised one. Question 3 states: "How much money in cash do you presently have in your possession?"
So now all foreign residents have to count up all the notes and coins they have in foreign currencies every time they re-enter Japan. What on earth for? Nobody at Kobe Immigration could give my secretary any reason at all other than repeating "please follow the rules."
So here's yet another example of Immigration's mindless bureaucratic stupidity, which even their own officials do not understand and cannot explain.
m.j. issott
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.