JAPAN and China agreed Saturday (June 30th) on a plan to expand the granting of Japanese visas for Chinese visitors on group tours, currently limited to residents of Beijing and other designated areas, to the entire country from July 25, according to a news release.

Currently, Chinese tour groups from eight provinces and municipalities including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong Province are allowed to travel to Japan.

The agreement was reached at a meeting between Japanese Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Kazuo Kitagawa and Shao Qiwei, chairman of the National Tourism Administration.

The plan has been pending between the two countries after Japan expanded visas for Chinese visitors for the duration of the 2005 World Exposition in Aichi Prefecture, which runs through Sept. 25.

The two governments have agreed in principle not to set a time limit on the expansion.

"The fact that we can now have Chinese visitors from all over the country is a notable development," Kitagawa said.

"The idea is to boost the number of Chinese visitors using the Aichi Expo as a chance for doing so, and we hope to see people tour Japan using their summer vacation," he said.

Kitagawa initially offered a plan in January to expand the visa for Chinese visitors for the duration of the expo, but China had said it wanted the expanded arrangement on a permanent basis.

Editor: Wing