Overview
Schools:
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Here are the topics for this month
- Ambassador Roos Arrives with His Family
- Upcoming Holidays and ACS Office Closures
- ACS Appointments have started in Tokyo
- LetterPack 500 now Required for Mailing Passports and Reports of Birth
- Complete your U.S. Passport Application Online Prior to Coming to the Embassy
- Updated Country Specific Information on Japan now available
- Federal Voting Assistance Program Newsletter and Helpful Hints for Voters
- Preparing for Influenza A (H1N1) and the Upcoming Flu Season
- Revised Japanese Immigration Control Act
- Security Situation - Travel Warnings and Alerts
- U.S. State Department Online Travel Registration
Services
Ambassador John V. Roos arrived in Tokyo on August 19 accompanied by his wife Susie and their two children, Lauren and David. The Ambassador presented his credentials to the Emperor of Japan on August 20. The Ambassador and his family are looking forward to meeting the American community in Japan.
Please take a look at our Web page on the Ambassador for his biography and arrival statement.
| Labor Day | Sept. 7 (Monday) |
| Respect for the Aged Day | Sept. 21 (Monday) |
- U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, Sept. 3:
The American Citizen Services (ACS) branch of the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo will be closed to the public on Thursday, September 3, except for emergencies. Consular Services will resume on Friday, September 4. Please note that this closure applies only to Tokyo ACS and does not apply to the Visa branch in Tokyo. American citizens who require emergency assistance from the U.S. Embassy Tokyo ACS section on Thursday, September 3, 2009 should contact the Embassy switchboard at (03) 3224-5000 / DSN 224-5000. - Osaka Consular Services, Sept. 2-4:
The ACS Unit in Osaka will be closed to the public after 12 noon on Wednesday, September 2 and all day on Thursday September 3 and Friday September 4. Consular Services will resume on Tuesday, September 8. For American citizens needing emergency assistance, please call the Consulate's switchboard operator at 06-6315-5000. - Fukuoka Consular Services, Sept. 2-4:
The Consular Section in Fukuoka will be closed to the public from Wednesday, September 2 through Friday, September 4. Consular Services will resume on Tuesday, September 8. For American citizens needing emergency assistance, please call the Consulate's switchboard operator at, 092-751-9331. - Sapporo Consular Services, Sept. 2-4:
The Consular Section in Sapporo will be closed to the public from Wednesday, September 2 through Friday, September 4. Consular Services will resume on Tuesday, September 8. For American citizens needing emergency assistance, please call the Consulate's switchboard operator at 011-641-1115, extension 0 to speak with a duty officer.
A full list of all of our holiday closings is available online here.
American citizens who require emergency assistance during holidays should contact the office serving their part of Japan, a list of which is available online here.
To view the business hours for the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo and all of the U.S. Consulates in Japan, please check here.
On August 17, the American Citizen Services section in Tokyo began offering all ACS non-emergency services on an appointment-only basis. The starting date was announced here via a special edition of the ACS newsletter.
The ACS appointment system has been received with enthusiasm from our customers. It has had more than a 90% approval rating from our ACS appointment customers for accessibility, convenience, services, and overall satisfactory customer experience.
Appointments are needed for all Passport applications, Consular Report of Birth applications, notary services, and Federal Benefits services.
No appointments are necessary for emergency services.
Passport services are offered Monday through Friday from 8:45 a.m. – 12 noon and on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 2–4 p.m.
Consular Report of Birth services are offered Monday through Friday from 10–11 a.m. and on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 2–2:30 p.m.
Notary services are offered Monday through Friday from 8:45 a.m. – 12 noon.
Federal Benefits services continue to be offered on an appointment-only basis. Please see our Federal Benefits pages for appointment details.
The ACS section branch in Tokyo is closed on Wednesday afternoons.
This announcement does not affect Consulates elsewhere in Japan. For information on operating hours and ACS services provided by Consulates in Sapporo, Nagoya, Osaka-Kobe, Fukuoka, and Naha, please see their individual websites, accessibly through the U.S. Embassy website.
Tokyo ACS now requires all passport and Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) applicants to submit an LetterPack envelope or a self-addressed, stamped envelope with their passport or CRBA applications. These envelopes will be used to mail your passports and CRBAs back to you. Both passports and CRBAs will fit into an LetterPack envelope. If you provide a self-addressed, stamped envelope for returning a CRBA, it must be at least 30 x 24 cm (width x length) to accommodate the A4-size CRBA certificate.
LetterPack envelopes cost only 500 yen and can be purchased at any post office in Japan. They are also available for purchase at the Lawson's convenience store located directly across from the U.S. Embassy. LetterPack envelopes are a quick, reliable, and secure method of mailing, and envelopes are tracked from sender to receiver.
We regret we cannot phone customers for pickup of their passports and other documents at the U.S. Embassy except in emergency circumstances.
Effective immediately, when applying for a passport at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, the American Citizen Services (ACS) Branch asks that all applicants utilize the online Passport Application Wizard and print (single-sided only) the completed passport application prior to coming to the Embassy.
On August 5, 2009 the Country Specific Information on Japan was updated. It is available on the Department of State website at http://travel.state.gov.
Topics in the August FVAP newsletter include:
- Introducing Bob Carey, who was appointed as the Director of the Federal Voting Assistance Program on July 6, 2009
- FVAP Resources list
The Federal Voting Assistance Program publishes the Voting Information News which is a roundup of voting news from the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP). FVAP's August 2009 issue can now be viewed on their website here.
Reminder: California is holding a Special Primary Election on September 1, 2009.
With the potential threat of the spread of H1N1 this fall, overseas schools have been encouraged to review their preparedness planning. As the fall flu season approaches, it is critical that everyone reinvigorate their efforts in order to mitigate the effects of this virus on our communities both at home and abroad.
Taking precautions for this fall's flu season is a responsibility we all share. Visit Flu.gov to make sure you are ready, learn how you can help promote public awareness, and learn what steps you can take to prepare and do your part to mitigate the effects of H1N1.
http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/newimmiact/pdf/leaflet_english.pdf
Security reminder: While there is no specific threat information for American citizens in Japan at this time, it is prudent for you and your family to review your personal security profile and to be aware of your surroundings at all times.
The Department of State has issued a new Worldwide Caution to update information on the continuing threat of terrorist actions and violence against American citizens and interests throughout the world. This information is available online here.
Since our previous ACS Newsletter, the U.S. Department of State has issued new Travel Warnings for the following countries. This information is available online here.
Since our previous ACS Newsletter, the U.S. Department of State has issued Travel Warnings for the following countries:
| Central African Republic | 8/19/2009 |
| Israel, the West Bank and Gaza | 8/14/2009 |
Travel Warnings are issued to describe long-term, protracted conditions that make a country dangerous or unstable. A Travel Warning is also issued when the U.S. Government's ability to assist American citizens is constrained due to the closure of an embassy or consulate or because of a drawdown of its staff.
The U.S. Department of State also has issued a new Travel Alert:
| Mexico | 8/25/2009 |
Travel Alerts are issued to disseminate information about short-term conditions generally within a particular country or region that pose imminent risks to the security of U.S. citizens. Natural disasters, terrorist attacks, coups, anniversaries of terrorist events, election-related demonstrations or violence, and high-profile events such as international conferences or regional sports events are examples of conditions that might generate a Travel Alert. This information is available online here.
The most up-to-date information regarding permitted and prohibited items on flights can be viewed online here.
For additional information, please visit "Americans Traveling Abroad" on the U.S. Department of State website. Students traveling abroad may wish to visit the State Department site designed especially for them.
To obtain up-to-date information on security conditions, please call 1-888-407-4747 (toll free in the United States), or +1-202-501-4444 if you are outside the United States.
The U.S. State Department launched a secure online travel registration website which will allow you, as an American citizen, to record foreign trip and residence information that the U.S. Department of State can use to communicate with you and assist you in case of an emergency. U.S. citizens around the world who travel or reside abroad can register at travelregistration.state.gov. If you encounter any difficulties or have any questions about our travel registration website, please send an e-mail to CAIbrs@state.gov.
If you are departing from Japan after a long stay here, and you formally registered your stay with the Embassy or closest U.S. consulate, please be sure to "cancel" your registration when you leave.
You can deregister yourself by visiting the travelregistration.state.gov site.
You may also want to consider unsubscribing from the newsletter mailing list. Please see the instructions on how to accomplish this below.
If you are leaving Japan or otherwise wish to unsubscribe from this list you can unsubscribe by writing from the same email address you used to subscribe, and send a blank e-mail to:
leave-tokyoacs@mh.databack.com
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American Embassy in Tokyo
American Citizen Services
1-10-5 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420
Tel: 03-3224-5174
Fax: 03-3224-5856
http://japan.usembassy.gov/e/tacs-main.html
The Embassy helps Americans in Tokyo, Chiba, Fukushima, Gunma, Ibaraki, Kanagawa, Nagano, Niigata, Saitama, Shizuoka, Tochigi, Yamagata and Yamanashi.
American Consulate General Sapporo
American Citizen Services
Kita 1-jo, Nishi 28-chome
Chuo-ku, Sapporo 064-0821
Tel: 011-641-1115
Fax: 011-643-1283
The Consulate in Sapporo helps Americans in Akita, Aomori, Hokkaido, Iwate and Miyagi. As there are times when both officers are away from the office, we ask that you make an appointment before coming to the Consulate General.
American Consulate Nagoya
Nagoya International Center Bldg. 6th floor
1-47-1 Nagono, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya 450-0001
TEL (052) 581-4501
FAX (052) 581-3190
Consulate Nagoya provides emergency consular services including death and arrest cases for Americans living in Aichi, Gifu, and Mie prefectures. Please call Nagoya or Osaka for confirmation before traveling to Nagoya if you believe you have an emergency situation. Routine American Citizen services are provided by appointment only. If an appointment is not available, American residents may also receive service at the Consulate in Osaka.
American Consulate General Osaka-Kobe
American Citizen Services
11-5, Nishitenma 2-chome
Kita-ku, Osaka 530-8543
Tel: 06-6315-5912
Fax: 06-6315-5914
The Consulate in Osaka helps Americans in Osaka, Aichi, Ehime, Fukui, Gifu, Hiroshima, Hyogo, Ishikawa, Kagawa, Kochi, Kyoto, Mie, Nara, Okayama, Shimane, Shiga, Tokushima, Tottori, Toyama, Wakayama.
American Consulate Fukuoka
American Citizen Services
5-26, Ohori 2-chome
Chuo-ku, Fukuoka 810-0052
Tel: 092-751-9331
Fax: 092-713-9222
The Consulate in Fukuoka helps Americans in Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Kumamoto, Miyazaki, Nagasaki, Oita, Saga and Yamaguchi.
American Consulate General Naha
2-1-1 Toyama,
Urasoe City
Okinawa 901-2104
Phone: 098-876-4211
Fax: 098-876-4243
DSN: 645-7323
The Consulate in Naha helps Americans in Okinawa and the Amami Oshima Island group (which is the southern island group of Kagoshima Prefecture).
Travel, safety and security information is also available directly from the Department of State.
Inclusion of Non-U.S. Government links or information does not imply endorsement of contents. This subscription list is maintained by a private company and the U.S. Government cannot guarantee the privacy of any e-mail address.