Re:The US has been doing this for a while now. (Score 1)

The difference between Japan and the USA is that in Japan, almost all foreigners are fingerprinted, whereas in the USA lawful permanent residents are exempt. The Japanese system excludes kids under 16, diplomats, and a special category of permanent residents created for mainly ethnic Koreans left over from Japan's pre-World War II occupation of Korea. See also fears that it'll be bad for Japanese business.

In the UK, fingerprints are taken from visa applicants in their home country. If you do not require a visa to visit the UK (e.g. European Union citizens), you will not have to undergo fingerprinting and iris scans.