International Tourist Tax to Triple in Japan Starting July 1 2026

The International Tourist Tax is set to triple in Japan effective as of Wednesday, July 1, 2026, which means that if you leave Japan via airplane or ship — whether or not you are a citizen — you will be required to pay ¥3,000 instead of the current ¥1,000.

International Tourist Tax to Triple in Japan Starting July 1 2026

Revenue and funds that are collected from passengers upon their departure from Japan support the maintenance of public works, critical infrastructure at airports and tourist sites, restoration of historic assets, and the creation of online tourist resources as follows:

1. Creating a Stress-Free and Comfortable Travel Environment
   1. Measures to Reduce Crowding — Park-and-Ride Pilot Program
   2. Measures to Prevent Inappropriate Behavior — Smart Waste Bin
   3. Facilitating Smooth Entry and Exit:
      1. Self‑Service Bag Drop
      2. Walk‑Through Gate
2. Improving Access to Information for Unique Attractions of Japan
   1. Joint Advertising with Airlines to Promote Attractions Across Japan
   2. Horticultural Expo Information via the official Internet web site of the Japan National Tourism Organization
   3. Exhibits at Consumer Travel Expos and Hosting Events for Local Consumers
3. Tourism resource development utilizing local cultural and natural assets
   1. Streetscape Improvement through the Restoration of Historic Assets, Subsurface Installation of Utility Lines, and Beautification
   2. Developing Exhibition Facilities for Culturally Significant Assets Associated with the Local Area
   3. Maintenance and Improvement of Hiking Trails and Related Facilities
   4. Public Exhibition of Important Cultural Properties — Former Mikasa Hotel

Colloquially known as the sayonara tax — as sayonara means goodbye in Japanese — the International Tourist Tax initially became effective as of Monday, January 7, 2019 as a result of a bill which was designed to increase investment in tourism infrastructure and promote travel destinations in rural Japan, as well as fund campaigns for global tourism.

The bill was enacted by the National Diet — which is comprised of two separate assemblies of the legislature of Japan — on Tuesday, April 10, 2018 as the government is seeking to capitalize on the record number of foreign visitors, which has reportedly surged to an all-time high.

Exemptions from paying the departure tax include children who are younger than two years of age and transit passengers who depart within 24 hours of arrival.

Final Boarding Call

If your airline ticket was booked on or before Tuesday, June 30, 2026, you will only be required to pay ¥1,000 when leaving Japan instead of ¥3,000, which converts to almost $18.70 in United States dollars at the time this article was published.

Despite the technicality of the fee being a departure tax and not a visa fee, Japan is bucking the trend of other countries which have either reduced or eliminated fees — such as Sri Lanka, Argentina, Chile, and Belarus. I give reasons as to why other countries should follow their leads in this article; and those reasons are relevant to why instead of charging a departure tax — which technically adds no value for the traveler — the National Diet of Japan should consider other ways to increase revenue while adding value for visitors and citizens alike…

…unless one of the reasons is also to decrease tourism, which an increasing number of locations around the world are doing to protect their ecosystems and national treasures.

Photograph ©2026 by Brian Cohen.