The Japanese government has quintupled visa fees for British tourists and business travellers, marking the first increase in nearly half a century. Sources confirm that from next month, the cost of a single-entry visa will rise from £6 to £30, while multiple-entry visas jump from £15 to £80. The move, buried in a routine consular tariff update, caught the travel industry off guard.
Documents obtained by this newsroom show the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tokyo quietly signed off on the increase last week, citing 'operational costs and inflation'. But critics say the real motive is to discourage overtourism and offset the cost of processing an influx of visitors post-pandemic.
The hike is staggering: a 400 per cent increase for single-entry, 433 per cent for multiple-entry. It is the first adjustment since 1978, when a British passport cost £10 and a pint of beer was 40p. For comparison, Japan now charges UK citizens more than double what it charges Americans ($18 for single-entry) and nearly five times what it charges French travellers (€8).
'This is a bloody disgrace,' a senior travel industry insider told me. 'They are pricing British tourists out of the market. Japan has always been an expensive destination, but now it's become a luxury for the wealthy.' The insider, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the British Embassy in Tokyo was 'caught napping' and only learned of the change after a routine check.
The timing could not be worse. Japan scrapped all Covid-19 entry restrictions in April, triggering a travel boom. British arrivals in the first half of 2024 were up 180 per cent compared to 2019. But the new fees, effective 1 August, threaten to choke off demand. 'Families planning a once-in-a-lifetime trip will think twice,' said a travel agent in London's West End. 'A family of four now faces an extra £120 in visa costs alone. That's a hotel night or a Shinkansen ticket.'
There is also a whiff of hypocrisy. Japan has long preached the gospel of 'tourism nation' under Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Yet this hike flies in the face of that policy, especially when neighbouring countries like South Korea and Thailand offer visa-free travel to Brits. 'It's a protectionist move disguised as an administrative update,' said a trade analyst who tracks Japan-UK relations. 'They want a certain kind of tourist: high-spenders, not backpackers.'
The British government has so far stayed silent. The Foreign Office referred questions to the Japan desk, which said it was 'aware of the change' and would 'monitor the impact'. That is diplomatic speak for 'we didn't see this coming'.
Meanwhile, the travel industry is scrambling. Airlines and tour operators fear a slump in bookings. The Japan National Tourism Organization, which spends millions courting British travellers, has not commented. Off the record, officials concede the hike 'does not help'.
For ordinary Brits, the message is clear: Japan no longer welcomes you with open arms. It welcomes you with a hand out. And it is a costly hand at that.
