Japan tripled its departure tax to fund tourism but is using the money on cherry blossoms and bears

Japan has tripled its departure tax to boost funding for tourism, but critics are questioning whether the extra revenue is being used as intended. On July 1st, the government raised the departure tax from 1,000 yen to 3,000 yen per flight, with the cost included in the ticket price. While both foreign tourists and Japanese citizens will be affected, most of the extra revenue is expected to come from overseas visitors, estimated at around 646 billion yen in 2025, compared to 164 billion yen from Japanese citizens.

Initially, the government assured the public that the additional funds would be invested in travel-related initiatives, including lower passport fees for Japanese citizens and programs to tackle overtourism, such as promoting less-visited parts of Japan. However, it has since emerged that the 2026 fiscal budget, approved in April before the higher departure tax took effect, also allocated some departure tax revenue for bear control and pest prevention measures for cherry blossom trees.

This allocation amounts to 6.2 billion yen for bear-related measures and another 6 billion yen for sakura tree pest control, both of which are primarily focused on protecting the well-being of residents and the environment of Japan rather than enhancing the tourist experience.

The Environment Ministry defended the spending, claiming that foreign visitors could benefit from bear deterrents and that many international tourists visit Japan specifically to witness cherry blossoms. Despite acknowledging the concerns, the government remains committed to using the funds for tourism-related initiatives, with the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Yasushi Kaneko, announcing on August 25th that the government would re-evaluate the spending to ensure it aligns with the original tax intention.

As Japan aims to increase the number of foreign visitors from 40 million in 2025 to 60 million by 2030, responsible allocation of funds becomes increasingly crucial to address overtourism issues without detracting from the appreciation of cherry blossoms and bear safety.