The Japanese government will increase visa fees for foreigners from July 1 for the first time in 48 years. “We have made this decision after careful consideration of several factors, and we do not expect it to have an immediate impact on inbound tourism,” said Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi.
Source: The Japan Times
The cost will increase from 3,000 yen (16.20 euros) to 15,000 yen (81 euros) for a single-entry visa and from 6,000 yen (32.40 euros) to 30,000 yen (162 euros) for multiple entries. “The current visa fees were established in 1978. We have revised them to take into account inflation and exchange rate fluctuations,” Motegi said.
The government wants to use the extra revenue to deal with Japan’s growing foreign population, which reached a record 4.13 million by the end of 2025. Japanese-language programs and measures against illegal residents are also being expanded.
Robust immigration system
Japan says it wants to bring visa costs more into line with those in Western countries to build a more robust immigration system. For example, visa extension fees are approximately US$420 to US$470 in the United States and US$93 (US$107) to US$98 in Germany.