KUALA LUMPUR - Saitama Governor, Motohiro Ono resubmitted a request calling for a temporary suspension of visa-free short-term stays for Turkish nationals on a visit to the Foreign Ministry on January 14.

Ono had previously submitted a similar request in August last year to then Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya.

Japan and Turkey currently have a bilateral agreement allowing citizens of both countries to enter without a visa for short-term stays of up to 90 days for purposes such as tourism.

In the request document, Ono noted that  51.2% of Turkish nationals residing in Saitama Prefecture hold the ‘designated activities’ residence status granted to asylum applicants. 

He argued that the national government should strengthen screening at the point of entry in order to reduce the burden placed on local governments.

The request also cited growing concerns among local communities, warning that anxiety over irregular stays and inappropriate entries could fuel domestic unease and potentially harm friendly relations between the two countries. 

On these grounds, Ono called for a temporary suspension of the visa-free agreement.

Saitama Prefecture, particularly areas around the cities of Kawaguchi and Warabi, is known to be home to an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 Kurdish residents of Turkish nationality.

Many began settling in Kawaguchi around the early 1990s, when Japan’s Heisei era began. Drawn by its proximity to Tokyo and relatively affordable living costs, they followed relatives who had arrived earlier, eventually forming the largest of such communities in Japan.

According to Ono, Keiichi Iwamoto, director-general of the Foreign Ministry’s Middle Eastern and African Affairs Bureau, said the government is moving forward with the introduction of JESTA, a system that would assess eligibility for entry by asking travelers online about the purpose of their stay prior to departure.

He added that the ministry would examine what measures could be taken internally before the system is formally established.