Japan smashes visitor records amid overtourism cries. Will its new tourist tax calm the surge?

Japan's insatiable fame has reached an all-time high, arsenic world visitant numbers from January to September transcend 30 cardinal for nan first clip ever.

According to nan country's nationalist tourism organisation, 3.26 cardinal overseas visitors arrived successful Japan past period - marking a 13.7 per cent summation compared to nan aforesaid play past year.

In fact, information shows that visitant arrivals person surgery 2024 records successful each azygous period this twelvemonth - pinch 31,650,500 world visitors flocking to nan state wrong nan first 9 months of 2025.

The surge comes conscionable weeks aft Japan has approved its highest-ever edifice taxation to thief “enhance” its entreaty and beforehand sustainable tourism.

Japan's latest tourer tax

Earlier this period (3 October), nan Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications confirmed that nan levy, which was first projected backmost successful March, will travel into effect adjacent twelvemonth successful nan metropolis of Kyoto.

It marks nan first summation since nan taxation was introduced backmost successful October 2018, and is slated to boost nan city’s gross from accommodation taxation from ¥5.2 cardinal (€31.8 million) to ¥12.6 cardinal (€71.5 million).

Currently, Kyoto’s accommodation tax is capped astatine conscionable ¥1,000 per nighttime (approximately €5.68).

Kyoto’s edifice tax: How overmuch will visitors person to pay?

The approved taxation hike is based connected nan value of your accommodation, meaning not everybody will beryllium charged nan same.

Those staying inluxury hotelswill beryllium deed nan hardest, having to fork retired ¥10,000 per night, which useful retired astatine astir €56.84.

A ¥4,000 (€22.73) taxation per nighttime will beryllium applied for rooms costing betwixt ¥50,000 and ¥99,999 (€284.10 and €568.19), while a ¥1,000 (€5.68) taxation will beryllium added to rooms costing betwixt ¥20,000 and ¥49,999 (€113.64 and €284.09).

For much fund accommodation types, costing betwixt ¥6,000 and ¥19,999 (€34.09 and €113.61), nan taxation will only beryllium ¥400 (€2.27) per night.

The lowest taxation of ¥200 (€1.14) will beryllium applied for immoderate accommodation priced beneath ¥6,000 (less than €34.09).

Overtourism successful Japan

With Japan's skyrocketing popularity, it's difficult to opportunity whether its latest tourer taxation will beryllium capable to tackle overtourism.

While nan influx mightiness beryllium bully for nan country’s economy, it is already starring to problems.

At Mount Fuji, concerns are increasing complete contamination and information arsenic human postulation jams clog up nan slopes.

Local authorities person already outlined plans to bolster infrastructure and grow autobus fleets to header pinch nan sheer demand.

‘Little antagonistic impact’

Kyoto’s accommodation taxation isn't really designed to deter visitors from visiting - and has been implemented to make judge visitors are “bearing nan costs of countermeasures against overtourism”.

“After years of grounds demand, galore destinations are seeking to trim unit connected infrastructure and section communities while ensuring that nan economical benefits of tourism are distributed much fairly,” Nicholas Smith, Holidays Digital Director astatine Thomas Cook online recreation agency, tells Euronews Travel.

“In practice, these taxes are seldom meant to discourage recreation – they are designed to reinvest successful nan very things that make cities attractive: taste preservation, nationalist transport, cleanliness, and amended visitant management.”

Due to Kyoto’s gradual taxation system, Smith argues that nan accommodation taxation will really person “little antagonistic effect if they spell manus successful manus pinch worth creation”.

He adds: “Travellers choosing premium accommodation are motivated by value and authenticity; erstwhile they spot that their publication supports section sustainability and improves nan destination, it enhances alternatively than diminishes their experience.”