If you’re budgeting for a trip to Japan in 2026, you may need to set aside a little extra.
The Japanese government is planning to increase the international departure tax in 2026. Fees for single- and multiple-entry visas, which have not been updated since 1978, may also go up substantially.
According to The Nikkei and Asahi Shimbun, the additional revenue could be used to improve airport infrastructure, strengthen security screening and fund domestic programs pitched by its incoming government, such as free high school tuition.
Japanese citizens would still pay the departure tax, too, but officials have floated the idea of reducing passport application and renewal fees to offset the cost for locals.
How much more could travellers pay?
Japan’s departure tax – a fee collected from all people leaving the country, most often those who travel by air – was introduced in 2019 at a flat rate of ¥1,000 (about €5.50). Officials are now considering raising it closer to “international standards.”
Germany, for example, charges departure fees for departing air passengers that range from €15.53 to €39.34 for nearby countries and €70.83 for all others.
Japan’s decades-old visa fees are also under review. Currently, a single-entry visa costs around JPY 3,000 (€19) and a multiple-entry visa about JPY 6,000 (€38).
If brought into line with other comparable economies – such as the UK’s £127 (€150) or the EU’s €90 fee for a Schengen visa – travellers could see a major increase.