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Japan has hiked the price of visas for tourists by 400%, making it even more expensive for you to set foot in the country.
There are plenty of countries around the world that require you to have a visa before you’re able to enter. Some of the processes to gain a visa can be quite simple – you just enter passport details and pay a small fee – but others require you to jump a few more hurdles.
As noted, visa fees can, in some cases, be a pretty small chunk of change, maybe even cheaper than the cost of a beer. However, some countries like Australia, New Zealand, and Canada can be a little bit more expensive.
Japan had previously been pretty cheap for tourist visas as they hadn’t made a change for close to 50 years. However, prices have now been hiked by around 400%.
Japan raises visa costs for first time in 50 years
The announcement came on June 20 from the Japanese government, marking the first rise in the price of a visa for 48 years.
From July 1, the cost of a single-entry visa will be increased from 3,000 yen ($19/£14) to 15,000 yen ($93/£70). A multiple-entry visa will also go from 6,000 yen ($37/£28) to 30,000 yen ($186/£140).
According to Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, the government does not expect it to have an effect on tourism right away, and that the rising cost is due to almost five decades of inflation.
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As per TravelPirates, despite the rise, Japan is still on the “lower end” of visa prices across the globe, but visitors from the United States and the United Kingdom remain exempt from the visa process until 2028.
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Japan has had some issues with tourists over the last few years, including nuisance streamers like Johnny Somali interrupting locals. A Japanese city also had to cancel its annual cherry blossom festival after tourists broke into homes and defecated on lawns.
