HOUSE OF JAPAN
 
Facial recognition machines will be introduced for immigration screening of Japanese passengers at airports possibly in fiscal 2017 to reduce waiting time amid a growth in visitors from abroad, according to Justice Ministry sources.
 
The switch will allow more passport control staff to be shifted to process foreign passengers, the sources said.
 
The plan comes after trials of biometric machines from five companies conducted in August and September produced relatively low error rates, according to the ministry's Immigration Bureau.