Baku, Oct. 29 (Jiji Press)–Azerbaijan is willing to extend its visa-free program for Japanese citizens, Hikmet Hajiyev, assistant to the president of Azerbaijan, has said. Visa exemption is “a two-way street,” Hajiyev said in talks with reporters from media outlets including Jiji Press in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku on Monday, signaling his hope that Japan will implement similar measures for Azerbaijani citizens. Japanese nationals are exempt from obtaining visas for short-term stays of up to 30 days in Azerbaijan, with the visa waiver program in place for a year until July 1, 2027, according to the Japanese Embassy in Baku. Noting that many Azerbaijanis are also eager to visit Japan, Hajiyev suggested that the two countries may hold discussions on establishing a fully visa-free system. Azerbaijan is one of the key filming locations for popular Japanese television series “Vivant,” produced by Tokyo Broadcasting System Television Inc. Hajiyev said the TV drama series’ popularity is expected to help increase Japanese tourists to Azerbaijan. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
