Thanks that's very cool! I was unfamiliar with Timatic and though I don't have a subscription I appreciate you posting that excerpt.

I guess at this point I guess I can conclude passenger documentation requirements don't match up with the reality on the ground, and that some agents at some airlines (like ANA) follow these requirements on rare occasions, while others (like United) never do. Fascinating. Now I'm just wondering if they checked the return tickets for all the Japanese passengers as well? Somehow I doubt it.