Originally Posted by
Ghoulish
…However, that doesn't absolve the authorities in whom the power of discretion lies to treat a guest making an honest mistake in the most brutal manner the law allows from criticism. Particularly when considering the totality of the circumstances.
Absolve the authorities of what???????????
Doing their job??????
If everybody could expect discretion, then everyone would treat entry dates as approximate. I spent years dealing with visa for traveling employees and contractors in various countries. Discretion to void legal visa restrictions is not a prevalent as you seem to believe. There’s even a question if the OP had a legal visa. And you say the immigration official of Japan (or the USA, or whatever country) can just say “No problem, just go on in”. Seriously?
There seems to be an undertone that “Japanese” are more difficult than other countries/races. That is 100% untrue. I’ve dealt with employees/contractors caught up in visa/entry problems worldwide. It’s not a “Japanese” thing - it’s a border thing.
Until the traveler is allowed in, he/she is not a “guest” - he/she is a potential guest. Do you understand that until the traveler is actually let in by virtue of a valid visa, that person has NOT legally entered Japan?