TOKYO - Japan's Foreign Ministry is advising the public to apply for passports early before the summer vacation season starts, citing an expected influx of applications with fee reductions set for next month.
The ministry expects it could take as long as one month to issue a passport, even with the National Printing Bureau operating on weekends to increase output.
When the fees are lowered on July 1, the charge for applications at the service counter for a 10-year passport will drop to 9,300 yen ($58) from the current 16,300 yen. The cost of five-year passports for applicants aged under 18, which currently varies by age, will be 4,800 yen across the board.
Japan aims to raise the rate of passport possession, which has remained low compared with those of other major countries.
After Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi announced the lowering of fees in December, the number of applications through this April dropped by 10 percent compared with a regular year, a sign that some are refraining from applying until fees drop.
The ministry has set up a passport consultation hotline and will answer questions on the fee change and passport processing for two months.
Foreign Press Secretary Toshihiro Kitamura said he hopes people will apply "with ample time" when he held a press conference in May.
