Case 5: Visit Japan Web
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"Visit Japan Web" is a web service provided by Digital Agency for people entering and returning to Japan from overseas to complete immigration procedures (immigration and customs declaration) at the airport they arrive at. It was launched in December 2021 with the goal of using digital technology to complete immigration procedures (contactless travel). Since then, we have been continuously taking necessary measures in cooperation with related ministries and agencies to achieve stable operation and make it more comfortable for users.
Table of Contents
- [Problem 1] Thorough improvement of convenience from the user's perspective
- [Issue 2] How to meet the expectations of users around the world
- Interview
- Related Pages
[Problem 1] Thorough improvement of convenience from the user's perspective
Visit Japan Web has had two two dimensional codes, one for immigration and one for customs declaration, for a while since it was launched.
In the first place, the two dimensional code of Visit Japan Web replaces the paper document required in each procedure, and from the administrative point of view, there was no sense of incongruity in the existence of separate two dimensional codes for each procedure.
However, from the users' point of view, it is not reasonable that two 2 d codes are necessary. On the contrary, many foreign users raised questions such as "Why are two 2 d codes necessary?"
Resolution point 1 The unification of the two dimensional code is a milestone.
In January 2024, with the understanding and cooperation of the relevant authorities, Digital Agency succeeded in unifying the two 2-D codes in response to the voices of these users, but this effort was only one of the milestones.
Of course, by unifying the 2 d code, the time and effort of foreign users was reduced. On the other hand, since the unified 2 d code had to be read twice, a new question arose: "Why can't it be done once?"
Immigration inspection and customs declaration are based on different laws and regulations, so it is not possible to complete either one at a time. However, it has become clear that there is room for the realization of one stop services from the reverse idea from the user's point of view that "it is not that the information necessary for each procedure should not be read at the same time".
Resolution point 2 Collaboration between immigration authorities, customs authorities and Digital Agency
Just unifying the two dimensional codes of Visit Japan Web is not enough to realize one stop service. What was needed was to change the operation of the existing procedures at the arrival airport. In addition, each arrival airport has its own circumstances, which must also be taken into consideration. Therefore, collaboration with the people who are in charge of the front lines of Digital Agency and immigration procedures (immigration authorities, customs authorities, etc.) is essential. It was an important point whether the people concerned could work together to realize one stop service with their own initiatives.
Since then, with the active efforts of the relevant authorities who are in charge of immigration procedures, the installation and operation of "shared kiosks" have been promoted, starting with major airports [Figure 1]. By using these shared kiosks, passport information and declaration information, which have been provided to immigration authorities and customs authorities respectively, can be provided at the same time, and it is expected that this will lead to the elimination of redundant procedures from the perspective of users.
Solution point 3 The world is now paying attention to the "unique" collaboration
The collaboration between Digital Agency and the authorities responsible for immigration procedures is attracting attention around the world. Contactless travel, which uses digital technology to complete immigration and other procedures, has become a shared international goal, but looking around the world, the reality is that there is not necessarily the close cooperation among the relevant parties that is possible in Japan.
For this reason, we received requests from countries around the world to share Japan's experiences. We also participated in a mission to the Pacific Island countries (Fiji, Palau, and Vanuatu) led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (Fig. 2). We also accepted study tours from immigration authorities in Cambodia, Vietnam, and other countries. In these efforts, we are promoting active and interactive communication rather than just one way sharing of Japan's experiences, so that we can obtain further hints for evolution from Visit Japan Web and immigration procedures on-site.
[Issue 2] How to meet the expectations of users around the world
In the development of digital services by the government, it is said in various places that "it is important to listen to users".
However, since Visit Japan Web has users all over the world, it is not easy to listen to the opinions of users.
Also, cultures, languages, and values may differ from country to country, making it difficult to arrive at what is essentially required by listening to the voices.
Therefore, first of all, we started an effort to collect opinions from as many users as possible and identify the essential "expectations" in those opinions.
Helpful Documentation
- DS-671.1 Usability Implementation Guidebook - 3 Understanding Design Principles
- DS-680.2 Web Content Guidelines - 9 Language, Sentence Structure and Expressions
Solution point 1 Grasp issues in real time
In order to hear the opinions of as many users as possible, chatbots were utilized in addition to responses by the service desk. By analyzing the content of inquiries received at the service desk and chatbot usage data, it became possible to understand issues arising in Visit Japan Web in real time, which led to ensuring stable operation and quickly improving usability.
Resolution Point #2 Identify customer expectations
For example, let's say you received a comment saying, "The input fields are difficult to understand." However, there are various reasons for this "difficult to understand." In the first place, the information required for immigration examination and customs declaration is not "easy to understand," as there are many technical terms. If that is the cause of "difficult to understand," you can consult with the relevant authorities in charge of immigration procedures, such as "Can you please devise more expressions?" On the other hand, if the cause is due to the quality of Visit Japan Web's language support, Visit Japan Web must solve it.
One effective way to gauge the expectations of these users is to listen directly to them. We actively create opportunities to communicate closely with users, travel agencies, airlines, Japanese diplomatic missions overseas, societies of commerce and industry, and chambers of commerce and industry [Figure 3].
Solution Tip 3 Make the most of limited resources
Visit Japan Web has pages in Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese. In particular, a page in Vietnamese was newly created in the summer of 2024 due to the large number of Vietnamese visitors to Japan and many voices calling for its necessity.
On the other hand, for example, the "Customs and Unaccompanied Goods Declaration" for customs declaration is supported in French, Spanish, Portuguese, and many other languages. Therefore, some people say that "Visit Japan Web should be supported in the same language as paper."
The ideal is to have pages for all languages, and that may be the "thing to do", but in practice resources are limited.
Visit Japan Web may be entering a phase that requires new challenges, such as making the most of its limited resources, realizing the supreme task of stable operation, and meeting more expectations.
