Government considering raising departure tax prices

Since 2019, everyone departing Japan (irrespective of whether you're a tourist, a long-term resident, or a citizen) pays a 1,000 yen departure tax. It's built right into your plane ticket price, so you might not even realize you're paying it.

At the moment, Japanese lawmakers are talking about raising that fee to 3,000 yen (roughly 20 dollars US) as part of next year's tax discussions. The money currently goes toward improving tourism infrastructure, like multilingual signs and airport facilities, but the proposed increase would help tackle issues linked to overtourism, including packed trains and some less-than-polite visitor behavior.

I think for the expat community here it's a potentially small but noticeable change. It adds a little weight to the already expensive trip home for holidays or family visits, and it means if you have friends or family coming to visit then they'll also be paying those extra fees.

It's not a done deal yet, and lawmakers are still debating how much to raise it by (if at all) and whether it fits Japan's broader goal of attracting more international visitors. If it passes, the next time you're booking a flight home, expect to see a slightly pricier ticket.