Visitors from China, Russia, CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States, Содружество Независимых Государств), Philippines and other nations are required to get a visa. Please refer to the Foreign Ministry Affairs of Japan’s web page titled “VISA / Residing in Japan”:

A visa application is necessary to be made individually by the applicant him/herself to the Japanese Embassy or to the Consulate General with jurisdiction over the area in which the applicant lives or those with jurisdiction over the country of which the applicant’s passport is issued. There are some cases where travel agents accredited by the Japanese Embassy or the Consulate General can undertake the visa application procedures.

Depending on your country or region’s circumstances, documents may have to be submitted by applicants themselves who are actually going to the Japanese Embassy/Consulate, or through an accredited travel agent. It is highly recommended to check with the embassy or consulate to which you plan to apply before making the application.

The necessary documents for application differ depending on the travel purpose and the nationality of the applicant. Some cases require submitting documents prepared by the inviting person in Japan in addition to the documents prepared by the applicant him/herself for visa acquisition.