The Japanese government announced on June 19 that new visa fee standards will take effect from July 1, 2026.
Under the new rules, the cost of a single-entry visa will jump from the current 3,000 yen to 15,000 yen, while a multiple-entry visa will rise from 6,000 yen to 30,000 yen.
Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi explained that the visa fee increase is meant to address rising prices and exchange rate fluctuations.
Starting this July 1 as well, the departure tax for foreign tourists will go from 1,000 yen to 3,000 yen. This departure tax is a special levy imposed by the government on people leaving the country, usually collected by airlines and other transport operators and included in international travel tickets. The ruling party says the revenue will be used to improve tourism infrastructure and develop regional tourism resources.
According to earlier reports, Japan’s move follows the example of European and American countries, with some of the new revenue aimed at tackling “overtourism.”
The term “overtourism” in Japan is often translated as “kankō kōgai” (tourism pollution). To cool down the tourism boom, the government has rolled out measures in 20 popular destinations across the country. For instance, the ancient capital Kyoto has scrapped its “one-day bus pass,” while Kamakura is prioritizing local residents for public transportation.
Some analysts point out that with the sharp visa fee increase and the departure tax tripling to 3,000 yen, the baseline cost of visiting Japan has shot up, directly turning away budget-conscious travelers and short-term tourists. The cost-effectiveness of a Japan trip has taken a real hit.
Due to Japan’s ongoing rightward political shift, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Japan has already been dropping significantly. In the first quarter of this year, Chinese mainland visitors fell by more than 55% year-on-year, with just about 291,000 arrivals in March alone.
More than two decades ago, Japan introduced a “tourism-led nation” strategy. Thanks to high-quality services and a continuously weak yen, the country saw a massive tourism boom after the COVID-19 pandemic, welcoming a record 36 million visitors in 2024. Tourist spending also surged by 53%, reaching 8.14 trillion yen.
In April 2024, the Japanese government approved the opening of the country’s first integrated resort—including a casino and convention center—on an artificial island at the Osaka Expo site. The facility is slated to open in the fall of 2030 and is expected to generate 520 billion yen annually, with most revenue coming from gambling operations. It aims to attract 6 million international visitors and 14 million domestic tourists each year.
In addition, many local governments have already started or are planning to impose accommodation taxes on hotels and traditional inns. For example, popular tourist cities like Kyoto announced that from March 2026, they will significantly raise accommodation taxes, with the maximum rate reaching 10,000 yen per person per night.
