Japan cuts passport fees and raises departure tax on July 1

Effective July 1, the Japanese government reduced passport fees by up to ¥7,000. For adults applying for a 10‑year passport, the cost falls from about ¥16,000 to ¥9,000 for online applications and ¥9,300 at counters; for minors (5‑year passports) the fee is now ¥4,400 online and ¥4,800 at counters. The change prompted long queues at Tokyo’s Shinjuku office as applicants waited for the lower price.

At the same time, the international tourism departure tax was increased from ¥1,000 to ¥3,000 per person, applicable to all travelers leaving Japan. Certain categories such as airline crew, diplomatic flights, transit passengers and children under two remain exempt or non‑taxable. The additional revenue is earmarked for measures to manage overtourism at popular destinations.