The current tax, set at 1,000 yen (US$6.64) per person, may rise to 5,000 yen as the government plans to expand its use beyond promoting international tourism to include measures against overtourism, Japan News reported.
At present, revenue from the tax is allocated to tourism promotion efforts, such as attracting foreign visitors and developing resort areas.
However, officials have begun discussing how much the tax should be raised and how the additional funds should be used.
The move is partly influenced by other countries, such as Egypt and Australia, which charge outbound passengers approximately 3,750 yen and 7,000 yen, respectively, according to the Yomiuri Shimbun.
Despite acknowledging the importance of tackling overtourism, experts have expressed concerns that raising the tourist tax may not be an effective solution, the South China Morning Post reported.
Introduced in January 2019, the tax is added to ticket fees for flights and cruise ship departures from Japan. It applies not only to foreign visitors but also to Japanese citizens leaving the country.
In 2023, revenue from the tax tripled from the previous year to 39.9 billion yen and is projected to reach 49 billion yen in fiscal 2025.
According to the Japan Tourism Agency, Japan welcomed over 36.8 million international visitors in 2024, surpassing the previous record of nearly 32 million set in 2019.
A weak yen and intensified tourism campaigns have contributed to the surge in arrivals.
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