The British Chamber of Commerce in Japan (BCCJ) circulated an advisory on 20 February summarising Home Office changes that will affect Japanese nationals and other visa-exempt travelers from 25 February. The notice stresses that visitors who previously entered the UK with only a passport must now hold an Electronic Travel Authorisation costing £16, and that dual British citizens resident in Japan must travel with a British passport or Certificate of Entitlement. The BCCJ highlights practical nuances: passengers transiting Heathrow or Manchester airside remain exempt for now, but anyone passing UK passport control—even on a same-day connection—needs an ETA. The chamber directs members to the GOV.UK application portal and warns that the fee is under review, with an increase to £20 already proposed. Japanese corporates operating in the UK—particularly in automotive manufacturing and financial services—have been urged to audit upcoming travel for board members, engineers and contractors. HR teams should incorporate ETA checks into invitation letters and consider bulk-reminder campaigns, as failure to pre-clear could mean denied boarding in Tokyo or Osaka. The BCCJ bulletin is part of a wider push by UK missions abroad to ensure trade partners are ready for Britain’s shift to a fully digital border. Similar alerts have been issued in Singapore, South Korea and the Gulf states.
