The issuance of Identity Cards and control of entry into Japan In accordance with the established practice of past Olympic Games, Identity Cards were issued to the competitors, officials, journalists, etc., for the purposes of simplifying the entry procedures, to clarify the qualifications of the bearers, and to afford them various facilities during the Games. Great care was taken in preparing this card to ensure that no discrimination whatsoever would be made to any Olympic participants. The Japanese Government had made a definite promise to the International Olympic Committee at the beginning, that participants would be admitted into this country without any discrimination. However, different legal control procedures apply to persons from abroad entering Japan, and this made the preparation of a uniform Identity Card a matter of some difficulty. Entrance procedures for persons arriving in Japan from foreign countries can be classified as follows:

(1) Countries with which agreements have been made by which visas are not required.

(2) Countries whose citizens, in the absence of any visa agreement, are required to obtain an entrance visa at a Japanese Consular Office abroad.

(3) Countries having diplomatic relations with Japan whose citizens are required, in addition to the necessary visa, to also have a guarantor.

(4) Citizens of countries with whom Japan does not enjoy diplomatic relations, are not admitted in principle to enter Japan (e.g. East Germany, North Korea, and Albania).

Particular efforts were taken to enable the Identity Cards to be used by the participants of the countries under (3) and (4) to enter Japan for the Tokyo Olympic Games. With the cooperation of the various Governmental sections involved (the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, and the Cabinet Council Room), the Identity Card issued by the Organizing Committee was officially recognized in May 1964 as a document to be used in lieu of an official passport. The Organizing Committee promptly sent samples of the Identity Cards and regulations for their use to the National Olympic Committees, with the request that they approach their respective Governments to obtain their approval. Subsequently, on the basis of the data from the preliminary inquiries concerning the number of the participants, the Organizing Committee towards the end of July began to forward the actual Identity Cards for their Governments approval. Apart from those countries not requiring visas, general abolition of visas for entrance to Japan for the Games was not realized, however the necessity of appearance in person for visa was dispensed with, and collective application by a representative to any Japanese Consulate was made possible. Applicants were exempted from visa fees. Identity Card bearers were received at the point of entry in Japan, with a minimum of formality, requiring only a brief inspection by the Immigration Control Officers.

It was gratifying to note that no incidents whatsoever occurred in connection with entrance and departure of participants from any country. The term of validity of the Identity Card was the 90 days between 15th August and 14th November 1964. This term was in fact a very appropriate one to facilitate the activities of those concerned with the Games.

Forms of the Identity Cards The form of the Identity Cards will be found on these pages. By reason of the difference in signatories, two general kinds of Cards were prepared, one for the National Olympic Committees and the other for the International Sport Federations. Specially manufactured waterproof texture paper was used for both so that the Cards would not be defaced or spoiled by moisture. The paper was watermarked to prevent forgery. A serial number was printed on the Identity Card, and this number was used during the period of the Games for the bearers identification. Upon arrival in Japan, the data concerning the bearer on his ID Card, including the number, was fed into the IBM computer system. This system enabled the checking with individual entries, prompt reporting of the records, and other routine matters to be greatly facilitated. The Organizing Committee prepared also vinyl cases with the same serial number as that of the Identity Cards. These cases were classified by colour into the following seven different categories to signify the status of the ID Card bearers. This card-case was handed to each bearer on completion of the ID Card after arrival in this country.

Validity of ID cards by classification:
 

Completion of the Identity Cards by the Organizing Committee and the Protocol of the Olympic Games The Identity Cards proved uniformly effective as far as the bearers' entrance and departure were concerned. Inasmuch, however, as the Cards had been sent in blank to the NOC's and ISF's concerned, it was necessary to have them presented to the Organizing Committee for final completion after entry to Japan. This was necessary also to establish the status of the bearer and to ensure that the correct Protocol of the Olympic Games was maintained. The actual procedure was to stamp the names of the sites for which the Cards would be effective, and to return the Card to the bearer in a card-case bearing the same numbers as the Cards, together with badges corresponding to their status. 

Many of these ID Cards were submitted, however, in groups in the days immediately before the opening of the Games, and this was complicated by the fact that there were only a very small number of National Olympic Committees which had complied with the earnest requests of the Organizing Committee to submit the lists of the persons to whom ID Cards had been issued before the actual arrival of the delegations. Inasmuch as the Cards had of necessity to be forwarded to the National Olympic Committees and the International Sport Federations, etc., in blank, the final review was recognized as being important for Protocol purposes of the Olympic Games provided for in the Olympic Charter, and for control of access to the Olympic Village and the stadia and venues. On 10th September, therefore, a registration centre was set up in the hall on the ground floor of the Organizing Committee headquarters. With a staff of 45 persons (including 25 interpreters mainly for English, French, Spanish, German, and Russian), this section handled the completion of Identity Cards, matters concerning entrance and departure, arrival of teams, collection of information on the participants' departure, registration of individual entries, and related matters. 

Though as stated above, some pressure was experienced in efficiently dealing with the rush of ID Cards submitted during the few days before the Games, the overall matters were otherwise disposed of without incident. From the period 14th September to 17th October, a daily average of 310 Cards were completed. The peak was reached on 4th October with 1,037 Cards. The total of the submitted Identity Cards was 11,326, the details of which are given in appendix tables
 

(Source document:  Official Report 1964, vol. 1, page 90)