The government relaxed visa requirements for foreign entertainers on Tuesday, allowing them to stay longer or come to the country more easily.
With the new changes, entertainers earning ¥500,000 ($3,500) or more per day can now stay up to 30 days. That's up from 15 days, enabling big-name performers to do longer tours across more of the country.
The visa applies to foreign performers and artists in fields such as theater, music, dance, sports and media. The new rules also lower the hurdle for lesser-known performers hoping to access the Japanese market, as well as for smaller venues hoping to host foreign performers — indeed, the entertainer visa has in the past been criticized for being overly restrictive.