The world’s “friendliest” country is reportedly looking at charging a higher tourist tax, as it sees over 30 million visitors this year. Japan’s government is considering charging foreign nationals more to enter the country.
Japan is often cited as a friendly country, particularly for its politeness, helpfulness, and the concept of omotenashi (hospitality). Tokyo has been named among the world’s friendliest cities by Rough Guides, the likes of Dublin and Marrakesh. Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya revealed that the government is weighing various factors, including the possible impact of a tax on inbound tourism. The details of this review haven’t been finalised. “We’ll examine the fees set in other countries. I believe Japan’s fees are quite low at present,” Iwaya said last week. The increase, which may come into effect in 2026, could make Japan’s tourist tax equivalent to those in place in the US and Europe. Japan’s current visa fees are among the lowest globally – a single-entry visa costs around £15, and a multiple-entry visa costs £30. For global context, the United States charges £140 for a short-visit visa; the United Kingdom £177, and the Schengen countries £78.
This would be the first increase to Japan’s visa fees since 1978. But the change is considered necessary considering the record-breaking numbers going to Japan and the toll of this on visa processing.
In 2024, 36.9 million people travelled to Japan, a 47% increase from 2023 and beating the pre-pandemic record in 2019 of 31.8 million.
The first half of this year has seen 21.5 million visitors, a 21% increase year-on-year. Projections suggested that the full-year total could reach a record-breaking 45 million visitors.
June 2025 set a new monthly record with over 3.37 million visitors – the ninth consecutive month with over three million visitors.
The spike in tourism is believed to be caused by a weak Yen, increased low-cost carrier flights, cultural appeal, and an increase of Chinese tourists.
But there are also overtourism concerns of overcrowding, strain on infrastructure, and visitor behavior and manners such as inconsiderate photo taking, noise, and littering.
