Tourists walk past shops and restaurants up the hill leading to Kiyomizu-dera Temple in the city of Kyoto, Japan, on Jan. 13, 2025. Photo by AFP
Japan, voted as “world’s most favorite destination” last year by readers of Condé Nast Traveler, is considering raising visa fees for foreign visitors as early as fiscal 2026 amid an inbound tourism boom.
Japan’s current visa fees are low by international standards, and the government aims to bring them in line with those charged by the U.S. and European countries, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya told a press conference as cited by Japan Today.
A single-entry visa to Japan now costs around 3,000 yen (US$20), while a multiple-entry visa costs around 6,000 yen.
A short-term visa to the U.S. costs $185, $177 for the U.K., and $71 Canada.
The Japanese government believes that increasing visa fees will help curb overtourism, according to Nikkei Asia.
The number of foreign visitors to Japan from January to September rose 17.7% from a year earlier to 31.65 million, marking the fastest pace on record for surpassing 30 million within a year.
The annual number is forecast to surpass the record 36.87 million hit in 2024 and may even reach the 40 million range amid a weak yen and a surge in Chinese tourists, Japan Times reported.
Japan currently requires short-term visas for citizens of more than 120 countries, including China, Vietnam and the Philippines.
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