JapanRaisesVisaFeesasChineseTouristsPullBack

Chinese tourists, already pulling back from Japan amid deteriorating relations between Beijing and Tokyo, will face sharply higher visa costs starting July 1 under a fee increase approved by the Japanese government.

Japan’s cabinet on June 19 formally approved raising foreign-visitor visa fees to five times their current levels. The fee for a single-entry visa will rise to 15,000 yen, from 3,000 yen, or about 630 yuan ($93). The fee for a multiple-entry visa will increase to 30,000 yen, from 6,000 yen, or about 1,260 yuan. The new fees will apply to applications submitted on or after July 1.

The move is part of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s broader policy shift on foreign nationals. The government expects the higher charges to increase fiscal 2026 revenue by 116.1 billion yen, or about $800 million, from the previous year. Japan’s current visa-fee schedule was set in 1978 and remains low compared with other Group of Seven countries.

Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said at a news conference that the adjustment was intended to address higher prices and currency fluctuations. He said he didn’t think the measure would immediately affect travel demand to Japan.

The increase wasn’t a sudden decision. Since Takaichi took office, Japan has moved to revise policies covering foreign nationals and began discussing higher fees for foreign-related procedures late last year.

The visa-fee increase mainly affects countries and regions whose citizens must apply for visas in advance, including China, the Philippines, Vietnam and India. Japan has long maintained a special visa system for mainland China, under which mainland residents can’t apply directly to Japanese embassies or consulates as individuals and must instead go through designated travel agencies or other authorized agents.

Several Japan visa agencies in China said the fees have already been raised and that future charges could change again. Applicants who submit complete materials by June 25 at the latest can still apply under the current fee schedule, while applications filed after that will be subject to the new rates.

The fee increase comes as Chinese travel to Japan is falling sharply. The Japan National Tourism Organization estimated on June 17 that foreign visitors to Japan totaled 3.559 million in May, down 3.6% from a year earlier and marking a second consecutive monthly decline. Mainland Chinese visitors numbered 313,000, down 60.4% from a year earlier, the sixth straight monthly drop, amid worsening China-Japan relations.

Japan is also moving ahead with changes to fees for foreign residents. Under amendments to the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act passed in late May, the fee cap for changing residence status and renewing a period of stay will rise to 100,000 yen from 10,000 yen. The cap for permanent-residence applications will increase to 300,000 yen from 10,000 yen. The caps don’t mean applicants will immediately pay those amounts; specific fees and exemptions will be set later by cabinet order.

During parliamentary deliberations, Japan’s Immigration Services Agency said future fees for changing residence status and renewing stay periods would vary according to the length of stay granted. Applications approved for stays of three months or less, one year and five years are expected to cost roughly 10,000 yen, 30,000 yen and 70,000 yen, respectively. Permanent-residence applications are expected to cost around 200,000 yen.

Currently, changing residence status and renewing a stay period costs 6,000 yen for in-person applications and 5,500 yen online. Permanent-residence applications cost 10,000 yen. If implemented as outlined, the permanent-residence application fee would rise to 20 times its current level.

The Japanese government says higher fees are needed as the cost of screening and managing foreign nationals rises and Japan’s charges remain below those of some other countries. Additional revenue will be used for foreigner management and support measures. As of the end of 2025, Japan had about 4.13 million foreign residents, a record high.

The revised law also establishes a Japanese version of an electronic travel authorization system, known as JESTA. The system will apply to travelers from visa-exempt countries and regions making short-term visits, requiring them to submit information online before traveling, including the purpose of their trip and where they will stay. Authorities would review the information before travelers board planes or ships bound for Japan.

The government says the system is designed to prevent overstays and illegal employment while improving the efficiency of border screening. JESTA had originally been planned for around fiscal 2030 but has been moved up to fiscal 2028.