Members of the Okinawa prefectural assembly in southern Japan attend a plenary session on Sept. 18, 2025, at which they approved an ordinance to impose an accommodation tax. (Kyodo)
NAHA, Japan (Kyodo) — The prefectural assembly of Okinawa, one of Japan’s most popular tourist destinations, on Thursday passed an ordinance to impose a 2 percent accommodation tax to support local tourism.
Due to take effect in fiscal 2026, which begins next April, it will be the first such tax of its kind at the prefectural level.
The move comes amid growing local expectations for more tourists following the July opening of the Junglia Okinawa theme park, which has apparently boosted both domestic and foreign visitor numbers to the prefecture.
The tax for hotel and inn stays will be capped at a maximum 2,000 yen ($14) per night. Those participating in school trips and extracurricular activities will be exempted.
The revenue, estimated at about 7.8 billion yen annually, is expected to be used to preserve the scenic landscape, secure tourism workers and enhance safety measures for marine recreation, a major attraction in Okinawa.
The prefectural government and local municipalities will split the revenue evenly, except for five that are planning to introduce their own accommodation tax.
AloJapan.com