Japan to Raise Tourist Departure Tax and Visa Fees from 2026

The Japanese government announced a set of travel‑cost adjustments that will take effect from fiscal year 2026. The measures include raising the international departure tax, visa fees, and permanent‑residence permit charges. The announcement was made by the LDP tourism panel in Tokyo on 25 October 2025.

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has proposed increasing the departure tax from 1,000 yen to 3,000 yen per person, a levy that has provided stable revenue since 2019. In fiscal 2024 the tax generated 52.5 billion yen, while the government aims for 60 million foreign visitors annually by 2030. The review also covers higher visa fees for about 120 countries and the introduction of the Japan Electronic System for Travel Authorization (JESTA) in 2028 with an estimated fee of 6,000 yen.

The additional fees are projected to generate roughly 300 billion yen to fund transport infrastructure, airport security and tourism‑site management. Emphasising foreign visitors reflects limited political room to raise costs for Japanese residents amid ongoing inflation. The changes respond to social and environmental pressures from a record 30 million-plus visitor arrivals recorded through September 2025.