Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba reacted positively to a proposal to raise the departure tax on foreign tourists when they leave Japan.
At an Upper House Budget Committee meeting on May 19, Yumi Yoshikawa, a lawmaker of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, noted that Japan’s departure tax rate is lower than those of other countries.
She proposed increasing the levy, also known as the international tourist tax, for foreign visitors to fund countermeasures against overtourism and other issues.
Ishiba responded: “We have established various infrastructure through tax revenue from Japanese people. I believe we are obliged to Japanese taxpayers to ensure that foreign tourists provide their fair share of financial contributions. I want to discuss it within our administration, as well.”
Japan charges a departure tax of 1,000 yen ($6.90) on all people, including Japanese, who exit the country. The tax is added to their airfares or ship fees, and the revenue is used to promote tourism in Japan.
Ishiba appeared cautious about raising the departure tax rate on Japanese citizens, saying it is “arguable” whether such a move would be “well-balanced.”
AloJapan.com