Travelers planning to visit Japan in the future may face a few changes: starting in 2026, Japan is set to increase its visa fees and departure tax, and will also introduce JESTA pre-screening.
Japan has quickly earned a reputation amongst travellers and expats as an affordable country to travel to, with daily costs being considerably lower than in many other tourist hot spots. Among these costs, the price for a visa and the departure tax is also noticeably lower than in other comparable nations. In fact, the country has not updated its visa prices for more than 40 years, since 1978. However, Japan is now en route to increasing the costs for visas and its departure tax to more closely resemble those of other G7 countries, which are, on average, higher than those of Japan and generate significantly more revenue as a result.
What are the new visa fees? What is the departure tax? Who will be affected? Here’s everything you need to know about Japan’s increased visa fees and departure tax coming in 2026.
Current Visa Fees and Departure Tax in Japan
At present, a single-entry short-stay visa costs ¥3,000 (around $20 USD), a double or multiple-entry visa is ¥6,000, and a transit visa costs ¥700. These fees have remained unchanged since 1978, making them quite low compared to many other countries. The Japanese government has announced plans to increase these fees, with the additional revenue expected to fund infrastructure, security, and social programs, such as free high-school tuition, without placing a burden on domestic taxpayers.
In addition to visa costs, Japan imposes a departure tax of ¥1,000 per person on all travellers leaving the country by air or other applicable transport, including Japanese nationals. Introduced on January 7, 2019, this tax is typically included in the airfare or transport ticket.
Current Visa Fee and Departure Tax in Japan
| Type of Fee | Amount (¥) | Approx. USD |
| Single-Entry Visa | 3,000 | ~$20 |
| Double/Multi-Entry Visa | 6,000 | ~$45 |
| Transit Visa | 700 | ~$5 |
| Departure Tax | 1,000 | ~$7 |
What is Changing in 2026 in Japan?
2026 will see changes to both visa fees and departure tax costs for those looking to visit Japan. Let’s break it down by each category so that we can understand these new policy changes together.
1. Visa Fee Increase
As stated above, the current visa fee is ¥3,000 for a single-entry and ¥6,000 for a multi-entry, while a transit visa is ¥700. These amounts will change in 2026; however, the exact costs for the updated price have yet to be determined by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice and Immigration.
What we do know is that these price increases are set to mirror the visa costs of other G7 countries more closely, of which Japan is the outlier with its comparatively low visa costs when stacked up against other G7 countries:
| Country | Short-Term Visa | Long-Term Visa |
| Japan | ¥ 3,000 | ¥ 6,000 |
| United States | $185 (~ $28,324) | $205-1000+ (~ ¥31,379 – ¥153,072) |
| United Kingdom | £127 (~ ¥22,432) | £475 (2 years)£848 (5 years)£1,059 (10 years) (~ ¥95,394 – ¥218,863) |
| Germany | €90 (~ ¥15,896) | € 99 (~ ¥17,481) |
| France | €90 (~ ¥15,896) | € 75 (~ ¥13,243) |
| Italy | €90 (~ ¥15,896) | € 116 (~ ¥20,483) |
| Canada | (CAD) $100 (~ ¥10,837) | (CAD) $ ~150 (~ ¥16,256) |
For more up-to-date information on visa fees, visit the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Japan. As you can see, the Japanese visa costs for both short and long-term stays are significantly lower than those of other countries. This has remained the case for 40 years, which is why the Japanese government has proposed a more up-to-date price that more closely resembles that of other countries.
2. Departure Tax Increase
The current departure tax of ¥1000 is also set to increase in 2026. The exact cost of the revised tax policy has also yet to be officially determined. However, the cost will likely follow trends that have already been established by the other G7 countries.
As of current, the United States has a departure tax of $22.90 (¥3,513) for flights departing the country. The U.K. has a departure tax that can range anywhere from £14 to £224, depending on the ticket class and destination. France’s departure tax ranges from €7.40 for domestic flights in economy class all the way to €2,100 for long-distance flights on private jets, and so on.
Moreover, unlike the U.K. and France, Japan’s departure tax of ¥1,000 is applied uniformly to each passenger, regardless of seat class, destination, and carrier type. This significantly reduces the revenue generated from these types of taxes and makes the revenue comparatively lower when stacked up against other G7 countries.
What is the Departure Tax?
Departure taxes are a common form of taxation in which the country of departure charges a certain amount, often included in the cost of a flight ticket, upon leaving its borders. Domestic flight taxes are also accounted for in many countries, be it by an exact rate or an accumulation of fees, such as the case in the other G7 countries. Unlike other countries, Japan does not currently impose any domestic departure taxes.
3. JESTA: Digital Screening for Visa-Free Travelers
Japan is set to introduce a new system called JESTA (Japan Electronic System for Travel Authorization), similar to the U.S. ESTA program. This system will pre-screen travelers from visa-exempt countries before they enter Japan to prevent illegal immigration by identifying potential risks in advance.
Under JESTA, travelers from the 71 visa-exempt countries will need to submit their travel information online before departure, including their purpose of visit and intended place of stay. The Immigration Services Agency will review the submissions, and if any concerns arise, the traveler may be denied electronic travel authorization and advised to apply for a regular visa at a Japanese embassy.
Currently, JESTA is expected to be implemented in 2028. Nationals from visa-exempt countries, including the U.S., U.K., and Australia, will be required to register online with their passport and trip details before entering Japan. A small processing fee is expected, likely around ¥600.
Why is Japan Raising its Visa Fees and Departure Tax?
The Japanese government is raising visa fees and the departure tax for several different reasons. Firstly, the growing need to address overtourism and generate funds to accommodate the massive number of tourists visiting the country every year, without financially burdening Japanese citizens. As a result, these increased costs are passed on to and paid for by tourists so that the Japanese people do not see their tax rates increase to cover these costs.
Additionally, the funds generated from increased visa costs and departure taxes, which is speculated to bring in approximately ¥300 billion worth of revenue, will be redistributed across a variety of different sectors. In 2024, the amount of money generated from these same fees and taxes was around ¥48.1 billion, making the updated revenue around six times greater than before.
These newly acquired funds would go back into a diverse range of projects and goals, including maintaining free high-school education for Japanese students, lowering passport renewal fees for Japanese citizens, and modernizing airports with more advanced operating systems and necessary expansions.
Who is Affected by the Price Hike?
| Category of Traveller | Visa Fee | Departure Tax | JESTA Fee |
| Visa-waiver countries | Not required | Applies | Will apply (from 2028) |
| Non-visa-waiver countries | Applies (will increase in 2026) | Applies | Will apply (from 2028) |
| Japanese nationals | Not required | Not required | Not required |
| Diplomatic/official passport holders | Usually exempt | Usually exempt | Will apply (from 2028) |
Fortunately, travellers from the 71 visa-waiver countries will not need to pay visa fees, as they are already exempt. Common countries in this group include the U.S., U.K., Australia, Canada, most EU nations, and several Asian countries.
On the other hand, travelers from countries that are not visa-exempt will notice a price hike during their application. The most common nationalities from non-exempt countries are tourists from China, South Korea, and Taiwan, so this price increase could potentially see a decrease in the number of visitors from these countries.
However, even visa-exempt countries will also see an increase in their costs due to the newly suggested JESTA fee. While this is not set to be implemented until 2028, this extra step before entering Japan will require visitors to document their passports and itineraries before arriving in the country. The estimated fee for JESTA is likely to be around ¥6,000. This new policy is designed to increase security, make the entrance process into Japan smoother, and generate revenue to accommodate tourism and travel infrastructure for the country.
There are also talks of eliminating Japan’s tax-free policy for foreign visitors, in which certain stores provide the opportunity for travellers to show their passports in exchange for being exempt from the 10% consumption tax. To learn more, check out our article covering the consumption tax in Japan.
As for the departure tax, this will affect every visitor coming to Japan, regardless of visa-exemption status. Each traveller will inevitably be required to pay the decided amount upon departure from the country.
What Other Measures Has Japan Taken to Address Over-tourism?
1. Blocking landmarks
Recently, Japan has taken quite a few measures in order to address the record-high number of visitors to the country. For example, some areas and landmarks that were once frequented by tourists no longer allow or have discouraged visitors from coming. The popular photo-op of the Lawson convenience store with Mt. Fuji in the background, which attracted large numbers of visitors yearning to get the iconic shot, now has a barrier aimed at keeping tourists off the road for their shoot.
The decision to install a barrier was not only for the safety of visitors, but was an attempt to decrease the amount of overall tourist traffic from visiting the site in order to appease locals. As it had become a viral photoshoot location, there were unfortunately negative impacts on traffic congestion and littering in the area.
2. Limiting visitors
Japan has also put into place limits on the number of allowed visitors in certain popular areas. The Yoshida Trail, the most frequented climbing route for Mt. Fuji, now has a daily cap for the number of visitors allowed to embark on the climb each day, which is currently set at 4,000. In addition to the visitor cap, climbers cannot simply decide to partake in a spontaneous visit to the mountain, as reservations must be made in advance, alongside a ¥4,000 hiking fee per person.
Planning a trip to Mt. Fuji during your visit to Japan? Read our guide to climbing Mt. Fuji, which covers everything that you will need to know!
Similarly, the popular Iriomote Island near Okinawa has limited the number of visitors to 1,200 per day to protect the island’s natural beauty and make certain parts of the island inaccessible.
3. “Tourist” Price Gauge
One of the most well-known examples of a Japanese city combating overtourism can be seen in Kyoto. This historic city, known for its many temples, shrines, and nature, has seen an influx of tourists as the city gains more notoriety, especially in the online sphere. The quaint city’s infrastructure has struggled to accommodate the millions of tourists visiting per year, which has made daily life for locals quite difficult.
Moreover, there have been many reports of tourists acting inappropriately and disrespectfully, such as harassing geisha in the Gion district or carving their initials into the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, to name a few.
In order to combat the effects of overtourism, the city of Kyoto has implemented several measures. For one, the city has the highest tax rates for hotel rooms across all of Japan, utilizing a tiered system based on room cost. Additionally, parts of the Gion district are now blocked off to tourists due to unruly behavior towards the buildings and the geisha. There have also been pricing changes in terms of residents vs. tourists, with tourists paying more for certain attractions and facilities than Kyoto residents.
To understand this issue more deeply, feel free to check out our coverage of overtourism in Japan and its effects.
Conclusion
Japan’s upcoming changes to visa fees, departure taxes, and the introduction of JESTA reflect multiple objectives: managing overtourism, generating revenue to support tourism infrastructure, and easing the financial burden on households.
FAQ:
Is there a departure tax from Japan?
Yes, the current departure tax from Japan is ¥1,000 and is paid by every person departing from the country.
Is Japan increasing the tourist tax?
Yes, Japan is set to increase departure taxes from the current cost of ¥1,000 to around ¥3,000, making the updated tax mirror the departure taxes of other G7 countries more closely.
What is departure tax?
Departure tax is the tax that people pay when departing from an area or country. Departure taxes can be solely for those travelling internationally, or also for domestic travel in many countries as well. Each country has its own policies regarding its departure tax costs and how they will be applied to each traveller.
What is the new tourist tax in Japan in 2026?
In 2026, the departure tax is set to increase to around ¥3,000 yen and visa costs for entering the country are also in the process of increasing. Japan has had comparatively low “tourist taxes” when stacked up against other G7 countries, and the updated costs will more closely reflect those of other countries.
How much is the visa fee for Japan?
The current visa fee for Japan is ¥3,000 for a short-term visa and ¥6,000 yen for a long-term visa. However, these costs will be increasing in 2026, although the exact updated amount has yet to be announced by the Japanese government.
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