Japan quintuples visa fees in first price hike since 1978

Authorities say they do not expect the hikes to have an "immediate impact on inbound tourism". Japan visa fees quintuple in first increase since 1978 Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Foreign tourists take selfies in Tokyo's Asakusa district on April 15, 2026. Japan quintuples visa fees in first price hike since 1978 Authorities say they do not expect the hikes have an "immediate impact on inbound tourism". A group of tourists dressed in traditional floral kimonos use a smartphone tripod to take photographs against the backdrop of blooming cherry blossoms and a pagoda in Kyoto Japan has implemented a five-fold increase to visa fees for all foreigners, marking the first price hike in nearly 50 years. From 1 July, single-entry visa fees will be raised from the current 3,000 yen ($18.69; £14) to 15,000 yen, while multi-entry visas will now cost 30,000 yen, up from 6,000 yen. The visa fee revisions - the first since 1978 - were made to "reflect inflation and exchange rate fluctuations", Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi told reporters on Friday. "We do not anticipate that it will have an immediate impact on inbound tourism," he added. The Japanese yen has been weakening continually since 2021, and is now hovering near historic 40-year lows. This, along with a post-pandemic travel rebound, has led to a surge in tourists to Japan. The country welcomed a record 42.7m international tourists last year. In May, Japan's Upper House enacted a bill to raise other fees relevant to foreigners. Under that revision, the statutory upper limit for permanent residency applications will go up to 300,000 yen, 30 times the current cap of 10,000 yen. It will also cost up to 100,000 yen to change one's residency status or extend a period of stay, up from the current 10,000 yen. Authorities pushing for the fee hikes say Japan must align its visa- and residency-related fees closer to those of other G7 economies. In the US, for example, non-immigrant visa application fees range from $185 to $315. For visitors to the UK, a standard short-term visa with a maximum duration of six months' stay costs £135. Japanese fans celebrate their 4-0 win over Tunisia Ayase Ueda scores twice to help Japan to a thumping 4-0 win, as Herve Renard's first game in charge of Tunisia ends with his side being eliminated from the 2026 World Cup. The group has said the protest will continue until Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan steps down. Taiwan's agriculture ministry is worried that Beijing wants to weaponise a local specialty: the atemoya. As ticket demand outstrips supply by a ratio of 15 to one, desperate fans have become easy targets. A weaker rupee and tougher immigration rules are pushing Indian students away from popular destinations like the US and UK. Millions of candidates face biometric checks and frisking as air force deployed to secure exam papers.