Tokyo govt. plans to change fixed-fee hotel tax to 3%

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government plans to revise a tax on hotel stays that is currently capped at virtually pocket change. The details were revealed in a draft proposal released on Wednesday.

Tokyo introduced the tax in 2002. Guests at a hotel or inn are currently charged 100 yen per night if their room rate is at least 10,000 yen, or about 64 dollars. For pricier rooms it goes up to 200 yen. The plan is to change it to 3 percent for rooms above 13,000 yen.

The Tokyo government also plans to extend the tax to cover short stays at rented private lodgings that are currently excluded.

Officials have been reviewing the rules as the growing number of visitors has driven up administrative costs.

They plan to seek opinions from the public with a view to enact the new ordinance after April 2027.