The Hawaii Department of Transportation announced new technology at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, which allows eligible travelers to expedite their entry into the U.S. using a mobile application, is now available in Japanese and Korean.
The Mobile Passport Control app, developed by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, was already available in French, Dutch, Italian and Spanish.
MPC offers travelers a streamlined way to submit their passport and customs declaration information via their smartphone or tablet before arriving at the customs checkpoint. This reduces wait times and increases efficiency, according to HDOT.
Last month, Japan joined Global Entry, a U.S. Trusted Traveler Program. Under the program, Japanese travelers can take advantage of reduced screening and expedited processing at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, and other major airports in the U.S.
“My administration remains committed to enhancing responsible tourism and fostering economic growth and there is no better example than the fantastic work done by Japan and our federal government to make traveling to Hawaii safer and more convenient,” said Governor Josh Green in a news release. “I was honored to be able to announce the availability of Global Entry for Japanese citizens last month. This month I can share another step to encouraging travel and business activity by announcing the availability of Customs and Border Protection’s Mobile Passport Control in Japanese and Korean.”
After the November expansion of the Global Entry program for Japanese citizens, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, HDOT, airlines operating out of Japan, and Honolulu Marathon organizers in Japan launched a targeted marketing campaign to raise awareness of Mobile Passport Control. As a result, MPC usage tripled during this period.
“MPC’s popularity has grown as more travelers become aware of how easy it is to use. We saw significant increases in MPC use during the Honolulu Marathon and will look toward leveraging this great tool to welcome travelers to Hawaii,” said HDOT Director Ed Sniffen.
