Japan Announces Over 400% Increase in Tourist Visa Fees for Select Countries

Japan will implement a more than 400 percent increase in certain tourist visa fees starting in July, marking the first adjustment in 48 years. The change represents a key component of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s broader strategy to tighten immigration controls.

Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi announced the revisions during a Friday press conference, attributing the decision to rising inflation and fluctuating exchange rates. The new fees will affect travelers from over 100 nations, including traditional source markets such as China, India, and Vietnam.

Under the updated schedule, single-entry visas will cost approximately $93, up from $18, while multiple-entry visas will increase from $37 to $186. Tourists from the United States and roughly 70 other countries will remain exempt from these fees due to existing visa waiver agreements.

The collected revenue will offset reduced passport costs for Japanese citizens, whose application fees will decrease by about $43, according to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

Takaichi secured a decisive mandate in February’s snap election, campaigning on platforms emphasizing immigration restrictions and concerns about China’s expanding economic and strategic influence.

Governing party officials allege that foreign visitors misuse tourist visas to establish long-term residency in Japan, which has historically maintained conservative immigration policies. Foreign residents currently comprise roughly 3 percent of Japan’s population, with steady increases in permanent residency, student enrollment, and both skilled and unskilled work visas since 2021.

Yoichi Kinoshita, a former immigration official now advising a visa support firm, notes the Takaichi administration is shifting focus from deterring illegal entry to regulating legal foreign residents. “This hardline stance toward foreigners strongly appeals to conservative voters,” he observed.

This approach manifests in prior policy shifts, including regulations forcing numerous foreign-owned restaurants to close. In March, Takaichi’s cabinet proposed amending immigration statutes to raise residence permit fees to as much as $1,800—up from current levels near $60—for permanent residents.

The proposal drew criticism from immigrant advocacy groups and bar associations in Tokyo and Osaka, who characterized the increase as an undue burden. The Tokyo Bar Association stated that “foreigner policies” are becoming excessively restrictive, particularly regarding permanent residency revocation procedures.

The government links unchecked tourism to illegal immigration, with tourist areas Like Tokyo and Kyoto experiencing strain since Japan reopened borders post-pandemic. Last year’s record 42.6 million visitors prompted resident complaints about littering, parking violations, and overcrowding at sacred sites.

While Takaichi emphasized tourism’s economic importance, she vowed to prevent visitor misconduct during a November meeting on foreign resident harmony: “Illegal acts and norm-breaking by some foreign nationals breed public anxiety. We will firmly address such behavior without fostering xenophobia.”

Recent data from Japan’s National Tourism Organization shows a 3.6 percent year-over-year decline in foreign arrivals last May, with Chinese tourists—the largest declining segment—reducing visits amid deteriorating bilateral relations.

Japan’s visa fee hikes underscore shifting immigration priorities.

Additional reforms scheduled for 2028 will introduce an electronic visa system called Jesta for currently exempt travelers, though related fees remain undetermined.

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