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Japan Triples Departure Tax to Combat Overtourism, Visa Fees up 5-Fold
- On Wednesday, July 1, Japan tripled its International Tourist Tax to 3,000 yen per person. Known as the "sayonara tax," this mandatory fee applies to all travelers departing by plane or cruise.
- The move follows a significant uptick in inbound tourism, with Japan welcoming a record 42.4 million visitors in 2025. Officials aim to reach 60 million annual visitors by 2030 while funding overtourism countermeasures.
- Fees for visitors requiring visas surged fivefold on Wednesday, rising to 15,000 yen for single-entry and 30,000 yen for multiple-entry permits. Travelers from 74 countries, including the United States and South Korea, remain exempt.
- Simultaneously, the government slashed passport application fees for Japanese nationals to reduce financial burdens. For online submissions, a 10-year passport cost dropped from 15,900 yen to 8,900 yen.
- Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi stated the fee hikes reflect inflation and currency depreciation. The increased tourist tax is projected to generate 130 billion yen annually, positioning Japan's visa costs closer to other Group of Seven countries.
Insights by Ground AI
29 Articles
29 Articles
Ecuadorians planning to travel to Japan should take into account a significant change in the cost of visas.
·Guayaquil, Ecuador
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Overtourism angers many Japanese, and the government is now taking drastic measures.
·Frankfurt, Germany
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Foreigners have to pay five times as much for a visa. The government wants to curb the costs of mass tourism in this way.
·Netherlands (Kingdom of the)
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Japan triples departure tax to combat overtourism, visa fees up fivefold
TOKYO: (Bernama-Kyodo) The Japanese government on Wednesday (July 1) tripled the departure tax to 3,000 yen (US$18) per person to fund measures against issues arising from the surge in inbound tourism, Kyodo News reported.
·Malaysia
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources29
Leaning Left2Leaning Right6Center3Last UpdatedBias Distribution55% Right
Bias Distribution
- 55% of the sources lean Right
55% Right
L 18%
C 27%
R 55%
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