Japan may join a list of several countries that have implemented the tax system to make revenue that is typically reinvested back into infrastructure
Japan is considering taxing tourists, according to reports
The Japanese government has begun preliminary discussions over whether or not to implement a tax on tourists—which could come into effect as soon as 2026.
Japan has become an increasingly popular travel destination in recent years, welcoming a record-breaking 36.8 million tourists in 2024 not seen since 2019, when it saw 32 million travelers, its previous record.
The increase in travelers is generally on par with global trends, which saw a surge in travel after COVID-19 lockdowns, a post-pandemic trend coined “revenge travel,” to the ire of locals in some popular destinations such as Spain and Mexico.
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A tourism tax is a mandatory daily fee that allows countries to generate income off of the influx of visitors to reinvest in their countries, especially as overcrowding damages its infrastructure. The charge is usually tacked onto accommodation bills.
Several dozen countries around the world, across Europe and the Caribbean Islands, take advantage of the system as a means to generate revenue for their country, including the United States, where hotel tourist taxes are applied in some cases.
“Tourist taxes can play a significant role in how destinations manage tourism flows. But the implementation of these fees is also designed to deliver more of the economic benefits that tourism offers back to the host communities,” explains UN Tourism Executive Director Natalia Bayona.
Eric Takahata, managing director of Hawaii Tourism Japan, explained that Japan is looking to tackle its “over tourism” problem.
A bustling night in downtown Tokyo, a popular tourist destination
“The government of Japan right now is facing over tourism situation… so implementing fees on visitors is one way to manage over tourism and really then reinvest back into your infrastructure right with those fees that you tack onto the visitor,” he said.
He explained that the Japanese government is aiming to protect cultural landmarks by taking advantage of the revenue stream to invest in their infrastructure.
He also said that the rate has not been determined, though he notes that some specific destinations are already testing out the system, including Mount Fuji, as it looks to neighbors such as Hawaii, which uses a kamaaina rate in which residents get preference over visitors to the state, as it considers its plans.
In May, the Japan National Tourism Organization will nearly double the cost of hiking Mt. Fuji, to 4,000 yen, about $27, though the price raise will not apply to Japanese citizens similar to Hawaii.
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AloJapan.com