Afghanistan’s Ministry of Guidance, Hajj and Religious Affairs has announced that registration for the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage will run from November 1 to November 8.

In a statement, the ministry said prospective pilgrims in Kabul and other provinces can register by visiting their respective provincial or central departments of Guidance, Hajj and Religious Affairs.

Applicants are required to submit the original and a copy of their national identity cards (Tazkira), along with two recent passport-sized photographs.

The ministry said that after registration is completed and the lottery results are announced, selected pilgrims will have 15 days to pay the required Hajj fees.

The first installment has been set at 150,000 Afghanis, while details of the second installment will be announced later.

The ministry urged all interested applicants to complete the registration process within the designated period and ensure that they submit all required documents.

Japan has welcomed Afghanistan’s efforts to combat narcotics, describing the reported decline in poppy cultivation since 2022 as a significant development while calling for continued anti-drug measures and sustainable alternative livelihoods for farmers.

The Embassy of Japan in Afghanistan made the remarks in response to a recent report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) on the country’s narcotics situation.

In a statement, the embassy said Japan highly values Afghanistan’s continued counter-narcotics efforts, emphasizing that lasting progress requires not only reducing poppy cultivation but also providing alternative sources of income for farmers previously dependent on opium production.

Japan also stressed the importance of creating sustainable economic opportunities to help former poppy farmers maintain their livelihoods and prevent a return to narcotics cultivation.

However, the latest UNODC report points to a significant increase in poppy cultivation in 2026 compared with the previous year. According to the report, cultivation rose more than fourfold, reaching approximately 43,300 hectares.

Opium production also increased from around 300 metric tons in 2025 to approximately 1,500 metric tons in 2026, the report said.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Interior has rejected the UNODC findings, arguing that the figures and assessments do not correspond with official information and evidence collected in the field.