Japan Issues E-Passports / RFID Journal28 Mar 2006

http://www.rfidjournal.com/article/articleview/2224/1/1/
Jonathan Collins
"Last week, Japan started issuing its first electronic passports (e-passports). Every five-year, 10-year and diplomatic passport the government issues will now include an RFID tag. The country expects to dispense more than 3.5 million e-passports within the next 12 months, with all Japanese passports will expected to carry an RFID chip within the next 10 years. Currently, Japan has 35 million passports in circulation. "