Originally Posted by
railroadtycoon
"Transit" falls under the same Temporary Visitor's (Short Term Stay) status.
Transit, visiting relatives, vacation etc, it's all the same visa, they all get stamped with "Temporary Visitor". That's why the documentation is essentially the same.
Though those who apply for the transit route only get 15 days vs 90 and I would imagine their chances of approval might be higher though I have no official stats to back up on.
My understanding of it has always been that Transit Visas were only issued in situations where the person could not get a Temporary Visitor visa upon arrival because of their nationality. For example, if you enter Japan on a US passport, you ordinarily get a 90-day Temporary Visitor status just for showing up, so that's what you get, even if you tell the immigration officer clearly that your intent is for transit only.
But, if you're a citizen of a country where Temporary Visitor status requires a visa in advance and you don't have one, then the officer has the discretion of granting you a Transit visa.