Japan · eGates · biometric border control
Automated facial recognition gates at airports
In operation
Japan's Immigration Services Agency first chose Panasonic facial recognition gates in October 2017, and three units began operating at Haneda on 18 October 2017 (company statement) 1. By 2018, 137 units were in use at five major airports. An additional order announced on 30 August 2019 brought the total to 203 units at seven airports, 123 of them for foreign nationals on departure 1. The gates match the traveller's face against the passport chip photo without prior enrolment. Panasonic cited the ministry as saying about 80 percent of Japanese travellers use the gates 1. No contract value or audit finding was found.
Key terms
- Buyer
- Immigration Services Agency, Ministry of Justice
- Vendor
- Panasonic Corporation
- Vendor based in
- Not confirmed
- Signed
- First selected October 2017. Additional order announced 30 August 2019 (company statement)
- Duration
- Not published
- Value
- Not published
- Funding
- Not published
- Procurement route
- Not published
- System ownership
- Not published
- Data terms
- Gates compare the face image in the passport chip with a live image, with no prior biometric registration (company statement, 30 August 2019). Storage terms not published
Sources
Fields marked "Not published" or "Not confirmed" could not be established from an official or reliable source. If you hold a document that fills a gap or corrects an entry, write to [email protected]. Last checked 19 October 2026.