TOKYO -- Japan plans to let travelers undergo immigration and customs screening before flying into the country, aiming to combat lengthy waits at airports as inbound tourism grows.
Travelers using the preclearance program would take care of most of the inspection process at their local airport, including interviewing Japanese authorities and providing fingerprints and photos. They would be directed to a special lane upon arrival in Japan, where they would go through a much-shortened screening, skipping the steps that were handled ahead of time.
