Amid ‘overtourism,’ Japan moves to hike visa-related fees
Japan is moving to sharply increase immigration-related fees for foreign nationals as the government tightens controls following a surge in international arrivals that has fuelled concerns about overtourism.
The Cabinet on Tuesday approved a bill to amend immigration law that would raise the statutory ceiling for residence-related fees, the first revision to the cap in more than four decades.
Under the proposal, the legal upper limit for fees to change residence status or extend a period of stay would rise to ¥100,000 ($630) from the current ¥10,000 ($63). The cap for permanent residency applications would jump to ¥300,000 ($1,900), thirty times the current ceiling.
The government has not yet set the final fee levels, but officials noted that permanent residency applications could cost around ¥200,000 ($1,250), while other procedures could range from ¥10,000 ($63) to ¥70,000 ($440), depending on the length of stay.
Japan last raised the statutory cap in 1982. While individual fees have been adjusted within that limit over the years, the ceiling itself has remained unchanged until now.
Immigration authorities said the revision reflects rising costs associated with managing a rapidly growing foreign population and expanding immigration systems.
Japan had a record 4.13 million foreign residents at the end of 2025, according to the Immigration Services Agency.
This higher cap will help cover administrative costs tied to residence examinations as well as broader spending on immigration management, including digitalisation, My Number-linked data systems and services aimed at supporting foreign residents.
Justice Minister Hiroshi Hiraguchi said the changes are intended to ensure foreign nationals “bear an appropriate amount of the costs” related to their entry and residence in Japan.
The bill also introduces plans for Japan’s version of an electronic travel authorisation system, known as JESTA, aimed at screening visa-exempt visitors before they depart for Japan.
Under the system, travellers from the 74 countries and regions that currently enjoy visa-free access would be required to submit travel information online several days before departure. Airlines and cruise operators would be required to deny boarding if authorities determine the traveller should not be permitted entry.
Japan received about 38 million short-term foreign arrivals in 2025, roughly 80% of whom were visa-exempt travellers.
If approved by parliament, the government aims to implement the new fee framework by the end of the next fiscal year in March 2027, while the JESTA system is targeted for introduction by fiscal 2028.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
