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The Japanese Embassy in Russia opened new visa application centres in Moscow and St. Petersburg on 12 February, as Russians have been travelling to Japan in growing numbers—primarily for sightseeing, though not exclusively.
In 2019, the two cities processed 53,327 visa applications together. After the pandemic lull, the total rose to 64,358 in 2024 and roughly 133,000 in 2025, more than double in the space of a year, with applicants at times queueing in long lines outside the embassy in Moscow, sometimes before opening hours. The new centres are expected to push the figures higher still.
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In 2019, the two cities processed 53,327 visa applications together. After the pandemic lull, the total rose to 64,358 in 2024 and roughly 133,000 in 2025, more than double in the space of a year, with applicants at times queueing in long lines outside the embassy in Moscow, sometimes before opening hours. The new centres are expected to push the figures higher still.
The new visa application center in Moscow has been set up on the first floor of a building over 1 kilometer away from the Japanese Embassy. A local company founded by an Indian national is operating the center, handling over-the-counter services for visa applications on behalf of the embassy. This has boosted the number of visa service counters to 29, from just six within the embassy. During an opening ceremony at the Moscow center, Japanese envoy Daiji Yamaguchi stated in Russian, "In recent years, the number of tourists visiting Japan from Russia has sharply spiked, reaching some 195,000 last year. While Japan-Russia relations are experiencing a difficult time, the increase in Russian visitors to Japan will support people-to-people exchanges and become the foundation for bilateral relations in the future."
Japan opens visa centers in Russia as travel demand from Russians surges - The Mainichi
MOSCOW (Mainichi) -- The Japanese Embassy in Russia opened one visa application center each in Moscow and St. Petersburg on Feb. 12, amid a sharp incr
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