The Diet unanimously enacted legislation Friday to make permanent a visa waiver program for tourists from Taiwan, the second-largest source of foreign visitors to Japan.
The legislation was enacted via its passage through the House of Councilors.
Tourists from Taiwan do not require visas to visit Japan during the World Exposition in Aichi Prefecture, which will run through September, in line with a law approved in February to promote tourism.
Calls for a permanent measure mounted within the ruling coalition, comprising the Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito. The Democratic Party of Japan joined the clamor and the three parties presented the bill for a special provision for the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Law.