Japan to triple its 'Departure Tax' starting next July... Roughly $20 per person

Local media reports that the Japanese government plans to triple the 'International Tourist Tax' (departure tax) imposed on both locals and foreigners leaving Japan from 1,000 yen to 3,000 yen (approx. $20) starting July next year. According to Kyodo News on the 27th, the government finalized this plan during a ministerial meeting on the 26th. This marks the first hike since the tax was introduced in 2019. The reason for the increase is reportedly to cope with the surge in tourists, making travelers share the costs of resolving issues like trash, traffic, and noise.

Keep this in mind for your travels—it's not for entry, but for 'leaving Japan,' and it'll be baked into your ticket price. (Korea has had a 'Departure Payment' since 1997, and many other countries have similar systems, but the sheer size of this hike is why it's making headlines.)