Do Japan passport holders need a visa to visit South Africa?

Japanese ordinary passport holders do NOT need a visa for tourist visits to South Africa of up to 90 days. Japan is on South Africa's visa-exemption list. Holders of an ordinary Japanese passport may enter South Africa for tourism, business, or visiting friends and relatives without a visa for stays of up to 90 days per visit. A visa-free entry stamp is issued on arrival; no advance application, eVisa, or visa-on-arrival is required. South Africa's new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system, rolled out from late 2025, currently applies only to a limited set of countries (such as China, India, Indonesia and Mexico) and does NOT apply to Japanese travelers. Travelers should hold a passport valid for at least 30 days beyond the intended departure date with at least one (preferably two) blank visa pages, proof of onward/return travel, and sufficient funds. For stays longer than 90 days, or for work, study, or paid activities, a visa must be obtained in advance from a South African mission. Yellow fever vaccination proof is required only if arriving from or transiting through a yellow-fever risk country.