Japan's Departure Tax Is Now 3,000 Yen: Who Pays and How

Comparing flight prices and noticed a "JP tax" or "international tourist tax" line on your fare? Since July 1, 2026, everyone leaving Japan by plane or ship pays 3,000 yen per departure, up from 1,000 yen. The good news: for almost every traveler, there is nothing to do. The airline or ferry company collects it with your ticket. This short guide explains who pays, who doesn't, and the one situation where an older ticket can still carry the old 1,000 yen rate, based on what Japan's National Tax Agency and Japan Customs publish.

This page may contain affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

The basics

The tax is called the International Tourist Tax (国際観光旅客税, kokusai kanko ryokaku zei). According to the National Tax Agency (NTA):

• It is charged on each departure from Japan by plane or ship, for Japanese and foreign travelers alike.
• The rate is 3,000 yen per departure (it was 1,000 yen when the tax began on January 7, 2019).
• In principle, the airline or shipping company adds it to the ticket price and pays it to the government on your behalf. You do not pay anything at the airport.
• Only travelers leaving by private jet or similar pay it themselves, to Customs, before boarding.

The NTA's Q&A says the increase is meant to fund stronger measures against overtourism, attract visitors to regional areas and spread demand, and improve support for outbound travel.

Who doesn't pay

Japan Customs and the NTA list these exemptions:

• Children under 2 years old
• Transit passengers who leave Japan within 24 hours of arriving (the law sets conditions, such as a single ticket for the whole journey showing the connection within 24 hours)
• Aircraft and ship crew
• People on government aircraft or ships, people deported, and certain diplomats
• Flights or ships that stopped in Japan unexpectedly because of weather or another reason, and travelers who left Japan but had to come back for the same kind of reason

Bought your ticket before July 1, 2026?

The NTA explains the transition like this. Departures on or after July 1, 2026 are, as a rule, taxed at 3,000 yen. But if your ticket (the transport contract) was made before July 1 and the departure date was already set, the old 1,000 yen rate applies, even if you fly after July 1. The new 3,000 yen rate applies instead when:

• your ticket had no fixed date (an open ticket or coupon ticket) and you set the date on or after July 1;
• you change the departure date on or after July 1 (the NTA's example: a ticket issued for July 3, changed on July 2 to July 4); or
• the airline's terms say the tax is collected separately from the fare.

So if you booked early in 2026 and later moved your return date, the 3,000 yen rate can apply to the new date. That is the rule working as designed, not a mistake. How the difference is charged depends on your airline.

What you actually need to do

1. Nothing at the airport. There is no separate counter or machine for this tax.
2. When comparing fares, look for the tax in the "taxes and fees" breakdown, so you compare like with like.
3. Traveling with a baby under 2, or connecting through Japan within 24 hours on one ticket? Check that your fare doesn't include the tax, and ask the airline if it does.

Leaving Japan with shopping bags? From November 1, 2026, tax-free shopping also works differently, with a customs step before you check in. Here is how the new tax-free refund works.

Last reviewed: October 4, 2026. Please confirm the latest information on the official pages below.

References

• National Tax Agency: Tax Answer No.7195, Outline of the International Tourist Tax (Japanese)
• National Tax Agency: International Tourist Tax Q&A (Japanese, PDF, revised April 2026)
• National Tax Agency: About the International Tourist Tax (Japanese)
• Japan Customs: International Tourist Tax (Japanese)
• Japan Tourism Agency: Expansion of the International Tourist Tax (Japanese, PDF)