Japan is fast becoming the most popular travel destination in the world, with the country recording an impressive 36,869,900 foreign tourists last year, the highest in its history.
The Land of the Rising Sun is increasingly more popular with Malaysians, too, as in 2024, Japan also welcomed the highest number of tourists from Malaysia at 506,800.
For illustration purposes
Japan is considering tripling its international tourist tax
With that in mind, the increase in international tourists has been a double-edged sword for Japan, as many of its citizens are growing wary of overtourism.
Accordingly, the Japanese Government is introducing initiatives to combat overtourism, and one of the proposals for that end is to significantly increase the international tourist tax starting next year.
For illustration purposes
In fact, according to The Japan Times, the Japanese Government is mulling tripling the international tourist tax from JPY1,000 (~RM27) to JPY3,000 (~RM80).
Furthermore, the country’s ruling coalition, the Liberal Democratic Party, has also drafted a resolution through its Research Commission for the Establishment of a Tourism-Oriented Nation.
The resolution called for the departure tax to be tripled within fiscal 2026 and for business-class and first-class travellers to be charged JPY5,000 (~RM134).
The tax was first introduced in 2019
The increased funds collected from the international tourist tax would be used for measures against overtourism.
The tax itself is relatively new, as it was first introduced in 2019. It is essentially a departure tax levied on all travellers departing abroad from Japan for work or leisure, with the charge added to the prices of tickets for airlines and other forms of transportation.
For illustration purposes
So, what do you guys think of Japan potentially tripling its international tourist tax? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!
Also read: Japanese Reporter Confronts Malaysian Tourists for Vandalising Kyoto’s Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
