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if you're watching this there's a very
good chance you're planning a trip to
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Japan and if so this video contains all
the latest Japan travel updates you need
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to know before your upcoming trip to
the Land of the Rising Sun some of
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these updates have been put into place with
the rest set to be implemented within 2025
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this video is by the way meant to be an
update to my previous first Timers guide
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to Japan which is by the way the video that
I would recommend you watch first especially
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if you're headed to Japan for the first time
I'm going to try to link that video here and
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also in my description box in case you
want to do that first I will then link
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this video at the end of that video so that you
can then head on over here to watch the updates
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all right with that out of the
way let's get straight into it
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Regular or previous travelers to Japan
will probably remember this queue which
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is the reason why Japan is introducing a new
pre-clearance system in 2025 this forms part
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of their overall efforts to streamline the
entry process for tourists which are by the
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way set to hit an all-time record high
in 2025 visitors will basically be able
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to undergo pre-clearance the process of which
includes document verification, fingerprinting
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and facial photograph verification all whilst
waiting for their flights to depart for Japan
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once the pre-clearance is done visitors simply
need to head to the kiosk machines which look
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like this that are currently already located
at the Narita and Kansai International airports
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there are also currently plans to link this to
the visit Japan web the visit Japan web just real
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quick for those who don't know is a site where
you basically pre-register your immigrations and
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Customs information after of which you will get a
QR code the intention of that is to simplify your
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entry into Japan as once that is done all you need
to enter Japan is the QR code and your passport
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this pre-clearance procedure as of the writing
of this video which is January 2025 is only
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open to visitors from Taiwan however the Japanese
government has announced that they plan to expand
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this to more eligible countries based on the
results of this pilot operation and therefore
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I would recommend checking closer to your travel
date to see if your country is now eligible for
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the predeparture clearance process as it's going
to save you so much time when entering Japan
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Speaking of things that you're going to want
to check closer to your travel date Japan is
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also preparing to implement a electronic travel
authorization system which is similar to the US
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ESTA to simplify the entry process for Visa
exempt Travelers which at the writing of this
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video includes the following 71 countries don't
worry I've also placed the 71 countries in my
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description box for your ease of reference much
like the US counterpart the application process
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will involve providing personal information
your purpose of visit travel details and
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duration and the ETA will need to be approved
prior to your arrival but you're going to want
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to pay attention to this one if you plan to
do a lot of shopping during your Japan trip
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Japan is going to be introducing a new tax
refund process this is set to take effect in
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November 2026 and this is how it's going to
be different from the current refund process
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currently your tax is immediately deducted at
point of purchase however with the new system
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you will now be required to pay the total
cost of your purchase you will then keep
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your receipts for all eligible purchases and get
your refund when you're departing from Japan at
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the airports whilst this means that you will
need to get to the airport earlier on your day
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of departure this new process does introduce some
new benefits namely the new system will abolish
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packaging requirements Goods classifications and
most importantly the minimum or maximum spend
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you see you would have needed to
previously have spent a minimum of
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5,000 yen and also only be able to claim
tax up to an amount of 500,000 yen to be
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eligible for tax refunds but under this
new system those limits will be abolished
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This next section contains an important update on
the Japan IC cards which are by the way cards that
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you're going to need to ride all forms of public
transportation in Japan like for example if you're
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heading to Tokyo you're probably researching on
how you can get your hands on a SUICA or PASMO IC
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card by the way if that is one of your concerns
I have previously done a video on five SUICA
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or PASMO IC card Alternatives that you may wish
to watch as well I'm again going to link that
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video in my description box and also somewhere
here before then considering this to be your
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sixth SUICA or PASMO alternative the JR east is
introducing a welcome suica mobile app which is
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expected to be released in Spring 2025 AKA around
March or the peak cherry blossom season this
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digital version of the welcome suica will allow
you to obtain and charge up your welcome suica
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card prior to your arrival in Japan there are
several key benefits of the app one is that you
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don't need a physical card like this and you also
don't have to line up to buy one when arriving in
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Japan and also you can purchase this using your
Apple pay instead of cash the card is also active
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for 180 days upon activation and you can not only
use it on all forms of public transportation but
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also use it to make payments wherever a Japan IC
card is accepted as a payment method however at
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the writing of this video the welcome suica app is
only available on Apple devices even though they
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have announced plans to expand it to be available
on Android devices as well which I know especially
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if you've already watched my suica pasmo
Alternatives what's the big difference Steve?
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what's the big deal? I mean isn't it just the same
as activating a suica or pasmo in my Apple wallet?
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well if you have an Apple device it may still
be worthwhile considering the welcome suica
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app if you plan on taking shinkansen AKA bullet
trains that will take you inter cities in Japan
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you see unlike the digital suica or pasmo in
the Apple wallet you can actually link your
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shinkansen slash bullet train ticket to your
welcome suica card within the app now what
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does this mean? this means that instead of having
to line up to purchase or collect your shinkansen
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ticket you can actually use your welcome suica
app to directly tap into the shinkansen Subway
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Lines and skip the queue pretty useful if you
plan on making inter City trips if you ask me
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apart from all these enhancements Japan has
also added several new attraction spots that
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you must add to your trip itinerary
so let's talk about them by the way
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I'm Steve from the phatlife project and I
love creating PHAT travel guides just like
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the one that you're watching right now
and so if you found value in this video
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so far and want to support me the best and
free way to do so would simply to click on
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that subscribe button so that we can go
on more PHAT travel adventures together!
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with that out of the way let's get back into
it speaking of Adventures Universal Studios in
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Osaka has also recently introduced Donkey Kong
an exciting new expansion on its renowned Super
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Nintendo World the Donkey Kong area immerses
you in a jungle setting that is reminiscent of
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the game itself which is unbelievable if you're
someone like myself who grew up playing the game
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speaking of the game the Superstar of the show so
to speak is the Mine cart madness roller coaster
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which replicates the thrilling Minecart sequences
in the classic game there is plenty to do apart
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from the ride however explore interactive zones
that will allow you to collect plenty of exclusive
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merchandisers and also meet your favorite
characters of which of course includes Donkey Kong
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I honestly had so much fun here and I
would highly recommend you check it out
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Additionally in January 2025 team lab planets
Tokyo in toyosu unveiled their largest expansion
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to date effectively increasing its exhibition
Space by one and a half times introducing multiple
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new immersive artworks some notable highlights
of this expansion include the athletic forest a
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complex multi-dimensional creative space designed
to engage visitors both physically and mentally
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this area encourages active exploration
allowing you to immerse yourself in Dynamic
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art installations that respond to movement and
interaction Additionally you must also check out
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the very unique catching and collecting extinct
Forest which offers an educational experience
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where you can capture and study digital
representations of extinct animals you also
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get a chance to contribute to the art around
you at Future learn Park and convert your art
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into souvenirs at the sketch Factory in fact
I only recently visited team lab planets and
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you can get a little preview of it as well as
I did a video about it I will link that video
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at the end of this video so that you can check
that out next I will also link my first timer
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guide to Tokyo Japan at the end of this video as
well in case you haven't already watched it that
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contain contains all the lessons I learned prior
to my trip and also during my trip so I definitely
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recommend watching before you go so you don't
make the same mistakes that I did by the way if
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you found value in this video don't forget to
like comment subscribe share as it really does
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help in appeasing those YouTube algorithm guards
but much much more importantly it will just make
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my day as a content creator and also if you
got to this point of the video 50 points to
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Gryffindor to you but also thank you so much
for your support I really do genuinely mean
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it when I say it means absolutely everything
as always I hope that you have a fantastic
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day ahead or that you already had a good day I
will see you very soon in the next video ciao!!
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