After Vietnam allowed tourists to enter the country without visa I visited Vietnam in September 2004. It was my first visit after more than a year abroad. There were some big changes like a totally new international airport.

I presented my passport to the immigration official. Looking at his face I could realize his surprise at so many pages in the passport with past visa stamps. Then, he asked me: "Do you have an entrance visa?" I answered: "No, I am a tourist and plan to stay here only 2 weeks. There should not be a problem. Isn't?"

"Khong tot! Khong tot!" he answered. "Do Vietnamese need a visa to enter Japan?"

Then, I asked him whether he wanted to go to Japan, but he replied: "No, no. Vietnamese need a visa to enter Japan. Chie!"

I was getting worried about my passport and told him: "Well, this is an official problem between the Japanese and the Vietnamese governments", but he replied again: "No. Vietnam allows Japanese to enter this country without visa, but Japan does not allow Vietnamese without a visa. This is not fair!" He handled me my passport and we both agreed that, "This is not fair."

Some Vietnamese I know of tourist agencies told me that, because visas for short visits are not needed, the number of Japanese tourists entering Vietnam has increased. I believed that for a while, but I don't think Vietnamese are so happy about the matter.