Japan Visa RequirementsFor North Korea passport holders
North Korean citizens cannot travel to Japan. Japan has enacted some of the strictest autonomous sanctions against North Korea globally, following North Korean missile tests targeting Japan's vicinity and the abduction of Japanese citizens by North Korean agents.
North Korea passport holders require a visa to enter Japan.
No visa pathway is available for ordinary North Korean citizens. Japan would not issue visas to North Korean passport holders. Any authorized North Korean official engaging with Japan at multilateral forums does so in third countries.
Entry Requirements
Passport Validity
6 months beyond date of entry
Blank Pages
2 blank pages required
Multiple Entry
Single entry only
Work Permitted
No - requires work visa
Current Travel Situation
North Korea to Japan: What You Need to Know
Japan has enacted comprehensive unilateral sanctions against North Korea, including a complete ban on North Korean ships entering Japanese ports and a ban on all North Korean imports and exports. Japan has also applied strict measures on North Korean financial transactions. Japan has 17 confirmed abductees taken by North Korean agents, making this a highly charged bilateral issue. Japan does not maintain diplomatic relations with North Korea.
How to Get There
Defectors naturalized in South Korea can travel to Japan as South Korean citizens, though they may wish to be aware of the unique sensitivities in Japan regarding DPRK matters.
Money & Banking
Japan has enacted the strictest financial sanctions on North Korea of any country, including a complete ban on transactions with North Korean entities. Japan has frozen assets of designated North Korean individuals and organizations.
Practical Tips
North Korean defectors who obtain South Korean citizenship can travel to Japan. South Koreans can visit Japan visa-free for short stays. However, North Korean defectors traveling on South Korean passports may face enhanced scrutiny at Japanese immigration.