Japan said today it would start fingerprinting and photographing foreign visitors from next month under stringent new security measures that have been criticised by civil rights advocates.

The new measures, approved by parliament last year, are expected to take effect from November 20, a Justice Ministry official said.

All foreigners aged 16 or older will be photographed and electronically fingerprinted when they enter Japan, under a similar system to the one introduced by the United States after the September 11, 2001, attacks.