While Ghanaians living in Japan are struggling to cope and adjust their lives to the debilitating effects of COVID-19, they also have to grapple with coughing a whopping ¥28,000 (GHS 1,512) to renew or acquire a new passport. But good news beckoned as they woke up this week to the good news of a drastically reduced passport application fee.

A statement from the Ghana Embassy in Japan noted that per directives received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, passport fees for booklets with 32 pages will now cost ¥15,000 (GHS 800) down from ¥28,000, while a 48-page booklet will cost ¥23,000 effective July 14, 2020.

It must be noted that this fee reduction is in response to complaints by the Ghanaian community in Japan over the high cost of passport acquisition.

This is one of the many indications of a government that listens, and the Ghanaian community in Japan has expressed its profound gratitude to the Government of Ghana through the Mission in Japan.

Those whose passports have expired or at the brink of expiring could not hide their joy when the news broke out. They continue to heap praises on Ambassador Frank Okyere and the hard-working staff of the embassy for carrying their complaints to the highest office of the land for approval.

The NPP-Japan branch Chairman, Dr Bernard Kusi Oppong was also grateful to the government for coming to the aid of the Ghanaian community in Japan through the provision of a passport printing machine where passports are processed in a matter of hours right here in Tokyo.

He urged all Ghanaians to adhere to the COVID-19 protocols in the ongoing voter registration exercise and vote massively to retain the NPP government to continue the good work.

Issued and signed on behalf of NPP-Japan branch by

Kwaku Adu
(Acting Communications Director, NPP-Japan branch)