Tag: visit Japan

Japan To Significantly Raise Foreigner Entry Visa Fees Starting July

Japan To Significantly Raise Foreigner Entry Visa Fees Starting July

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As Japan continues to attract many millions of visitors from around the world, the government proceeded to raise the single-entry visa fees and multiple-entry visa fees for foreigners significantly and they will take effect on July 1, 2026, according to a news report by Kyodo News.

Keep in mind that this is actually the first time Japan increased the rate since 1978 and in today’s economy, one American Dollar is worth over 160 Yen. The last time I visited Japan, the exchange rate was 106 Yen to US$1.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the report of Kyodo News. Some parts in boldface…

The Japanese government on Friday decided to raise single-entry visa fees for foreigners fivefold to 15,000 yen ($90) from 3,000 yen beginning in July, marking the first increase since 1978 amid inflation and the yen’s depreciation.

Issuance fees for multiple-entry visas, which allow visitors to enter Japan multiple times over a set period, will be hiked from 6,000 yen to 30,000 yen.

“We do not expect the move to have an immediate impact on inbound tourism,” Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said during a press conference.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Were you planning to visit Japan after July 1 this year? Do the pending hikes of visa entry fees for foreigners discourage you from visiting Japan? Have you started researching the process of applying for a Japan visa lately?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Japan Makes Moves To Handle Overtourism By 2030

Japan Makes Moves To Handle Overtourism By 2030

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With an all-time high of 42.7 million foreign tourists counted in 2025, Japan is clearly having a tremendous tourism boom that is also unprecedented. While the country took in over $60 billion from the said foreign tourists, immense tourism is causing a wide series of challenges for the Japanese residents and the authority, and this early the Japan Tourism Agency (JTA) announced that the nation will make serious moves to tackle overtourism by the year 2030, according to a news article by Kyodo News.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of Kyodo News. Some parts in boldface…

The Japan Tourism Agency said Friday it plans to more than double the number of regions taking steps to address overtourism from the current 47 by 2030, in an effort to increase understanding among the public of the importance of inbound tourism to the nation’s economy.

A goal to boost the number of such regions to 100 will be included for the first time in the government’s next basic tourism promotion plan. A draft of the plan, which covers five years from fiscal 2026, was presented to a panel of experts and is scheduled to be approved by the Cabinet in March.

According to the draft, the government will maintain its existing targets to increase inbound visitor numbers to 60 million and their annual spending to 15 trillion yen ($97 billion) by 2030.

In 2025, foreign visitors to Japan reached an estimated record of 42.7 million, with their spending also at a new all-time high of 9.5 trillion yen, according to the government.

With a sharp decline in Chinese tourists due to deteriorating bilateral relations, the draft also stressed the importance of preparing for changes in the international situation, saying that efforts will be made to attract visitors from a wide range of countries and regions.

The agency has been implementing model projects to support regions taking steps to address overtourism issues, such as traffic congestion and nuisance behavior.

To date, 47 regions, including Kyoto in western Japan and Taketomi in Okinawa Prefecture, have been advancing initiatives based on resident feedback, including easing congestion on local roads and limiting visitor numbers.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think that the ongoing tourism in Japan will last for at least the next three years? Would you be surprised to see foreign tourist arrivals in Japan reach 45 million by the end of this year? Are you dismayed to see foreign tourists misbehave or violate local rules during their stay in Japan? Do you think China’s hostility against Japan will bring down this year’s count of foreign tourists?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Japanese Embassy In Manila Confirms Unprecedented Surge Of Filipinos Who Applied For Visas

Japanese Embassy In Manila Confirms Unprecedented Surge Of Filipinos Who Applied For Visas

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For Filipinos who want to visit Japan, a visa is often required which is something I can relate with. In recent times, there has been this lack of available slots for visa appointments and the Japanese embassy in Manila confirmed that there is an unprecedented surge of Filipino visa applicants, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…

Japan’s embassy in Manila is aware of the lack of available slots for visa appointments at its application centers and issued its response on the matter.

In a statement sent to the Manila Bulletin, the embassy cited the surge of Filipinos expressing interest in going to Japan.

Except during the surge of Covid-19 pandemic, the embassy said, Filipino visa applicants reached ​”unprecedented levels.​”

​”The number of short-stay visas issued surged more than sixfold (6.15 times) over the decade from 2013 (73,143) to 2023 (450,087), and increased further to 490,907 in 2024,​” it said.

​According to the embassy, this prompted them to make significant changes in their visa processing system.

​”In response to the increasing demand, the visa processing system underwent a fundamental overhaul starting April 2025 to maintain proper screening quality and streamline the process, transitioning to a Visa Application Center system,” it said.

​”Furthermore, the introduction of the e-VISA began last December for visas issued to tourists in package tours organized by designated travel agencies,” it added.

The embassy acknowledged that people-to-people exchanges form the foundation of Philippines-Japan relations, and the embassy “welcomes our Filipino friends’ growing interest in visiting Japan, with the number of Filipino visitors reaching a record high of 880,000 in 2025.​”

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Have you already applied for a visa to visit Japan over the past twelve months? How many people do you personally know want to visit Japan? If you intend to visit Japan soon, have you started finding out what the requirements are for application?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco