cannibis convictions

roughly six years ago i was convicted witn possesing cannibis, i am wishing to travel to japan in feb 2010 will this hamper my entry to japan.

If you are actually "convicted" in Japan for the crime of drug possession, it is highly unlikely that the authorities would ever let you in. Even someone as famous as Paul McCartney had to wait for years to get admission into Japan after he was busted for a possession of a little cannabis. An ordinary person without big corporations to serve as his/her guarantors should forget about coming to Japan after a drug conviction. That's the consequence you have to live with.

If you have a conviction outside of Japan, I don't think it will be a problem.They don't have access to you criminal record.

Just to add to the other two. I know a girl currently working in Japan who entered with a cannabis possession conviction in America.
She was honest on her visa application and still got granted entry.

I think like Junya says - as long as its outside Japan. Inside, Japan takes drug problems very seriously and it would not look good for you.

To be fair, Paul McCartney made it to Japan even though he had an overseas criminal record for canabis. Then, although authorities were already suspicous enough, he was found possessing canabis at the airport upon arrival to Japan to work here. I don't think it means much to compare this with a tourist who isn't going to have canabis in his luggage.

But then, you never know. Basically it is illegal to let you in and a similar Q&A (in Japanese) advises you to inquire at your local Japanese Embassy or the Immigration Bureau of Japan.
http://okwave.jp/qa2175493.html

"On 16 January 1980, Wings went to Tokyo for 11 concerts in Japan.[159] As McCartney was going through customs, officials found 7.7 ounces (218.3 g) of cannabis in his luggage.[159] He was arrested and taken to a Tokyo prison while the Japanese government decided what to do. McCartney had been previously denied a visa to Japan (in 1975) because he had been convicted twice in Europe for possession of cannabis.[150] Public figures called for McCartney to be put on trial for drug-smuggling. Had he been convicted, he would have faced up to seven years in prison.[159] The members of Wings cancelled the tour and left Japan. After ten days in jail, McCartney was released and deported. He was told that he would not be welcome in Japan again, although a decade later he played a concert in Tokyo."
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It would of been bad PR I guess for the Government to put him on trial, but I bet you if he were a "regular" person, he'd be in prison.

If you have been sentenced for the crime (of possessing cannabis) provided for by any country's law, and that is the final judicial decision as to the criminal case, then it makes reason for Japan to refuse your landing, regardless of whether the punishment was suspended or not.
- Related article:
Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act: Article 5(: Paragraph (1)): Item (v).

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ExpressTrain, you mean ''if he were a 'regular' person, he'd do the 7 years''. 'Cause he WAS in prison. It says so on your quote, and I remember watching TV news and seeing him singing a minyo that another prisoner taught him in jail. That was the only singing he did in public on that ''tour'' to Japan and, I must say, he was good!