SINGAPORE, 6 April 2026: Japan will triple its international tourist tax from JPY1,000 (USD6.27) to JPY3,000 (USD18.80) on 1 July 2026, adding to the already escalating airfares to and from Japan due to the ongoing Middle East crisis
Japan first introduced its International Tourist Tax (sometimes called the “sayonara tax”) in January 2019 and has now confirmed it will triple the tax as part of a government initiative to combat overtourism and improve regional infrastructure.
However, the threat of overtourism is fast diminishing due to a dramatic fall-off in tourist arrivals from China and the wider impact of the Gulf Crisis, which has seen airfares blow out by 15 to 20%.
The increase in the international travel tax applies to all passengers — both foreign visitors and Japanese citizens—departing the country by air or sea.
Japanese citizens must pay the tax when flying abroad. Foreigners resident in Japan on a work or study visa still pay the tax when they leave for a vacation or a business trip.
| Period | Tax Amount | Change |
| Current until 30 June 2026 | ¥1,000 | — |
| Starts 1 July 2026 | ¥3,000 | ¥2,000 increase |
The tax will be automatically bundled into the price of the airline or cruise ticket.
There are exceptions: Children under the age of two and transit passengers who depart Japan within 24 hours of their arrival do not pay the levy.
Initially, in the original announcement on the tax increase, the Japanese government said it would use the additional revenue (estimated at JPY130 billion during the 2026 fiscal year) to fund “overtourism” countermeasures.
It identified improving crowd management in popular cities like Kyoto, enhancing multilingual support at attractions, and promoting travel to lesser-known rural regions.
Connecting Flights
If you fly from a regional Japanese airport ( such as Sendai) to an international hub (such as Narita) to catch a flight to New York, you only pay the tax once on the international sector leaving Japan.
Local accommodation taxes
While the International Tourist Tax applies only to leaving the country, travellers pay an accommodation tax when staying in Japanese cities (Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and, as of 1 April 2026, Hokkaido).
A local city tax of JPY100 (USD0.63) to JPY500 (USD13.13) per night applies to everyone staying in a hotel, including domestic travellers. It is usually paid directly to the hotel at check-in or check-out.
(Source: Trip.com and VisaHQ)
