Hong Kong's Chief Secretary for Administration Donald Tsang announced Wednesday that the Japanese government will grant visa-free access for Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) passport holders wishing to visit Japan.

Under the new arrangement, effective April 1, 2004, Hong Kong citizens holding HKSAR passports may visit Japan for up to 90 days without a visa.

Tsang made the announcement after meetings in Tokyo with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Yoriko Kawaguchi, Minister of Justice Daizo Nozawa, who is responsible for immigration, and Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Nobuteru Ishihara, who is responsible for tourism.

"This is a landmark arrangement that will produce significant benefits for both Japan and Hong Kong by strengthening our economic and cultural links," Tsang said.

According to him, visa-free access for HKSAR passport holders is the result of several years of discussions between Hong Kong and Japanese officials. Including Japan, 129 countries and territories have now agreed to grant HKSAR passport holders visa-free access.

Last year, about 480,000 Hong Kong residents visited Japan, making Hong Kong one of the top five sources of visitors to the country.

During his Tokyo visit, Tsang also spoke to the Japan-Hong Kong Parliamentarian League, updating the Japanese lawmakers on Hong Kong's post-SARS economic recovery and Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement with the Chinese mainland.

(Xinhua News Agency February 5, 2004)