That sounds great. Supposed to arrive around that time next week, so looking forward to fast exit from the airport...just the way I like it!

Arrived today at NRT at 2:15pm and it was a mess - it took 55 minutes to get through immigration - thank goodness I’m picking up my TTP card this trip!

Good luck! BTW, did you ever consider getting an APEC card? It's been very helpful for me.

Years ago when I worked more in the region and regularly travelled to Singapore, Thailand, etc... I did consider it -- especially after I got a 10 year multi-entry visa to China (since US is a transitional member). Now that I spend most of my time in the region in Japan it was just easier to get into TTP. Of course I'll have to do it all over again next September when I have to renew my passport...

How exactly do the immigration and customs QR codes work? Do I have to line up to be processed by Immigration and show the QR code to the officer along with my passport? Or do I use a kiosk? I assume customs is different?

Indeed two different things. I don't know about immigration, so I'll leave that to someone else to answer. But customs you either go to the kiosk while waiting for your bag (Haneda) or pick up your luggage and head to the kiosk and e-gate area (Narita). Though of course at Haneda your immigration wait time may mean bags are already there.

At the kiosk you scan you QR code and passport, it takes a picture. And then you proceed to the e-gate. For exit, or selected for extra screening. Though I have not seen the latter happen.

You fill out the online forms in advance and for immigration you need to go to a kiosk which will scan your passport and take fingerprints. Then you go to the immigration lines where the officer will ask for your passport and QR code. As mentioned above, after immigration you can either scan the Customs QR code first (where it will scan your face) or pick up your luggage. Once you have both scanned the Customs QR code and picked up your luggage you can go to the e-gate for exit. One person at a time, you enter the first gate when it opens, remove masks or hats, it will scan your face and the second gate opens releasing you into the wild.

Correct me if I am missing something but the immigration QR code then does not speed anything ? You need to queue as much as anyone not having the QR code.

The queue is the same, maybe a bit quicker at the desk. Also, people often claim if they filled in the paper form as well the officers prefer those.

So there is absolutely no benefit of getting the QR code ?

So, I go through different lines so I don't truly know. But based on what people write, none whatsoever at the moment.

This is true - given the understaffing at immigration and customs there is no reason to use the QR codes at all - the lines are the same and no difference any more as they aren’t required….

In customs it’s actually quicker to use paper form - no line versus the mess for the QR code lines with the staff requiring you to show the code just to get in the line to re-verify everything you already entered to get the QR code in the first place versus the empty paper lines lol - a true tribute to Japanese processes….

My customs experience is very different, after the initial teething issues it is super quick to go through the E-gates and there is seemingly always quite long lines for the paper process.

Well last week we clearly arrived at the wrong time -- After I spent nearly an hour in immigration my less than happy Japanese wife was waiting with our bags -- then we entered the line to use the "automated" gates with hundreds of Chinese passengers -- with varying ability to use the QR codes -- and our QR codes were checked like three times before we got to the automated kiosks -- where I was asked to reconfirm every answer I already submitted -- while the paper lines were empty....

We entered a few weeks ago with our QR codes and the process was smooth.
This forum advised to also fill out the paper forms as sometimes those lines are quicker. In our case the airline did not carry the paper forms and those without a QR code ended up in a long line filling out the forms.
To me the QR codes are an improvement. Also the QR code for tax-free shopping is convenient.