Japan Airlines and Ministry of Foreign Affairs mark 160 years of passport issuance

Japan Airlines (JAL) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a commemorative event at Haneda Airport to mark the 160th anniversary of the first Japanese passport issuance. The event, held at Terminal 1, featured historical aviation documents, including pre-war passports and pilot certifications, alongside appearances by the passport mascot, Paspo-kun, and flight attendants wearing vintage uniforms.

During the event, Shigeru Matsuda, a senior official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, highlighted that the current passport ownership rate among Japanese citizens is below 20%, according to data from the Japan Travel Agents Association. He encouraged citizens to obtain passports and utilize the ‘Tabi-Regi’ registration service for emergency assistance while traveling abroad. He also noted recent reductions in passport application fees.

JAL representatives promoted overseas travel through various campaigns, including a mileage giveaway totaling 5.7 million miles. The initiative aims to stimulate international travel demand following the lifting of travel restrictions that began in 1866.