3 Japan airports to use unified gates for immigration, customs checks

Last Sunday, I arrived in Japan from the US via KIX. Like a good citizen of the digital age, I downloaded the app, filled out all the forms, and proudly obtained my futuristic 2D QR code. Feeling accomplished, I collected my baggage and proceeded to the high-tech customs checkpoint, where I scanned my QR code, my passport, and even had my photo taken—because why not?

Then came the plot twist. There was a massive queue, and I waited a solid 15 minutes for my turn. Finally, the machine, in its infinite wisdom, instructed me to pass through C Gate—which, surprise surprise, required me to fill out the old-school yellow paper form and hand it to a customs officer. I could have just done that in the first place and skipped the whole digital ordeal! The best part? There was zero queue for the paper-based submission. So much for technological efficiency!

I have had this experience when I was coming through Haneda, too. Why do the digital stuff if in the end the line for filling out the yellow card is going to put you in the faster line? I also came through Kagoshima International Airport in January, and there was no guidance as to what to do. When I came to the counter and didn't have the form (I didn't see any places to fill it out before getting into the line) I was given a form and told to fill it out and get back in the end of the line. It was the first time I came into the country at Kagoshima, and it really felt like an inaka airport. Most of the other passengers were Korean and seemed to have been given the form by their travel agents, and it appeared that the international terminal at the airport was not used to non-Korean visitors on that flight.