During a recent press conference, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spoke about a major revision to the country's visa processing fees, which the JNTO announced earlier this May. Because these baseline fees had not been updated since 1978, the government is adjusting them to better reflect modern inflation and current exchange rates.

If you belong to one of the 70+ visa-exempt countries (such as Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, most EU nations, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, the UK, and the US), you do not need a tourist visa for stays up to 90 days, meaning this fee hike will not affect you.

However, if your nationality requires a tourist visa to enter Japan, the new rates apply.

While the initial sticker shock might seem high, government officials noted that they do not expect this adjustment to negatively impact the booming inbound tourism market.

In addition to the visa fees, the International Tourist Tax (often referred to affectionately by frequent travelers as the "Sayonara Tax") is also getting a price hike, according to the Japan Tourism Agency. This tax is automatically added to your airline or ship ticket when you leave Japan, so you rarely have to worry about paying it physically at the airport.

Children under the age of two are completely exempt from this tax.

If your travel tickets are issued on or before June 30, 2026, a transitional measure applies, and you will only be subject to the older 1,000 yen rate.

The revenue from this tax goes straight back into making Japan an even more incredible place to visit! The funds are strictly used across three main pillars: