Japan looking to add a tourist tax to manage over tourism
Japan has been attracting more visitors in recent years thanks to is majestic mountains, captivating temples and a favorable exchange rate for travelers.
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Scott Suzui has guided tours to Japan for decades. He said it's definitely gotten more crowded.
'We went just few months ago. We went to just one area and there were thousands of people just standing, and we decided to not even get off the bus, because of how populated that area was with tourists,' Suzui said.
According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, a record breaking 36.8 million people traveled to Japan in 2024, surpassing the previous record of 32 million in 2019.
Eric Takahata, managing director of Hawaii Tourism Japan, said the Japanese government is looking for a way to manage the overwhelming numbers.'The government of Japan right now is facing over tourism situation, much like we in Hawaii were facing pre-pandemic in 2019,' Takahata explained. 'So implementing fees on visitors is one way to manage over tourism and really then reinvest back into your infrastructure right with those fees that you tack onto the visitor.'
Takahata isn't sure how much the visitors will be charged but compares it to a system widely used in Hawaii.
'We suspect it's going to be rolled out something much like how Hawaii has a kamaaina versus a visitor rate,' he said. 'I mean, look at kamaaina rates in Hawaii, those have been in place forever, right? I think that residents should have an advantage over a visitor in general, and so I think Japan is starting to look at their tourism in that way as well.'
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Some places already have plans to charge visitors higher rates. Starting in May, travelers planning to hike Mount Fuji will be charged 4,000 yen, which converts to about $27, which is double the original cost. The price will not increase for Japanese citizens.
The goal of the tourist tax is to protect cultural landmarks, generate funds to provide adequate infrastructure and to create balance.
'I don't think it's going to have a big impact on travel to Japan,' Takahata added. 'I think that it will have some impact. But that still remains to be seen depending on how much the fee is going to be.'
Suzui's wife, who is born and raised in Japan, is all for it.
'She said, 'Good, they should charge people, then less people will be coming,' you know,' Suzui said. 'It could be beneficial, because it won't be as crazy, crazy, you know.'
Takahata said it's still being discussed but it could happen as early as 2026.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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