TOKYO, July 1 (Xinhua) -- Japan raised its departure tax, formally known as the international tourist tax, from 1,000 yen (about 6.14 U.S. dollars) to 3,000 yen, effective on Wednesday, local media reported.
All travelers leaving the country, including Japanese citizens, pay the levy, which is added to the price of air, cruise and other tickets purchased from July 1, 2026, public broadcaster NHK reported.
The government plans to use the extra revenue to address the growing problem of overtourism across Japan, the report said.
According to the Japan Tourism Agency, departure tax revenue hit a record high of about 52.5 billion yen in fiscal 2024, which ended in March 2025. The tax hike is projected to generate roughly 130 billion yen in revenue for fiscal 2026. (1 Japanese yen equals 0.0061 U.S. dollars) ■
