Is Japan Losing Patience with Foreign Tourists?

For some time now, Japan has been implementing or considering new measures for tourists wishing to visit the country. Officially, these are designed to combat the overtourism it has been experiencing for the past two or three years in places like Mount Fuji, Kyoto, and several other destinations, while also “reassuring” its residents who are concerned about this influx they haven’t been accustomed to.

However, upon closer examination, not all the decisions made or planned are necessarily directly related to fighting tourist overcrowding…

Latest Developments…

A “JESTA” System Coming Sooner Than Expected

Like many countries, Japan has decided to implement an “Electronic Travel Authorization,” called “JESTA” (“Japan Electronic System for Travel Authorization”), for all visa-exempt visitors including Europeans and Americans. While the measure was originally planned for 2030, Japanese authorities recently decided to accelerate the timeline and make it effective by 2028.

As always, the goal is to strengthen border security and streamline arrival controls by pre-verifying the identity and other information of each visitor, naturally allowing authorities to turn away those with a problematic history with the country or who might pose issues. In short, it’s the same as everywhere an ESTA system has been implemented.

Changes to the Tax-Free System

Unlike other countries that refund VAT to foreign visitors who purchased certain products upon departure, Japan has until now done so at the point of purchase in stores. This meant an automatic discount at checkout simply by presenting a foreign passport and airline ticket. This system has fueled trafficking and created a parallel resale market, forcing the Japanese government to reimburse substantial VAT amounts to retailers. But this should change by 2026 with new rules modeled on the European system.

So no more automatic checkout discounts. Buyers will now have to pay the full amount for their purchases, and the VAT (10%) will only be refunded upon departure. To qualify for the refund, they’ll need to justify their purchases before leaving Japanese territory, with a minimum spend equivalent to $20 for products bought no more than 90 days prior. This might give Japan a chance to start fresh with better duty-free practices.

“Everyone Must Pay Their Bills”

In a similar vein, starting in 2026 or 2027, visitors and even residents who haven’t settled their medical bills following illness or accidents during a previous stay in Japan could be banned from entering the archipelago until they pay their debt.

The fact is that authorities face the equivalent of several million dollars in unpaid bills each year. Between accidents, minor ailments, and more serious conditions, thousands of foreigners use the Japanese healthcare system. And when you know that medical care and hospitalization are expensive in Japan, and not all visitors have travel insurance, it’s easy to see how some leave the country without paying their bills, effectively leaving Japanese taxpayers to foot the cost.

Regulated Sites with Quotas and Higher Prices

We’ve already discussed this several times, particularly regarding Mount Fuji: visitor quotas, higher entrance fees, skyrocketing accommodation taxes like in Kyoto, and even stricter regulations on opening hours and/or areas closed to the public could gradually become the norm for Japan’s most touristic sites. According to authorities, this should better regulate tourist flows and prevent overcrowding at certain locations.

Dual Pricing for Japanese vs. Foreign Visitors

This is the latest measure: implementing dual pricing at Japanese tourist sites. Whether in museums, temples, ski resorts, parks, or other attractions, since this summer foreign visitors have been charged more than locals. The goal is to generate new revenue that should then be dedicated to maintaining and improving the sites in question.

The End of Certain Naivety

Under the guise of fighting overtourism – and it’s true that some measures are fully aligned with this goal – shouldn’t we also see this as the end of a certain “naivety” on the part of Japanese authorities? The same authorities who seemed to think until now that everyone functioned like their population, respectful of rules and laws in force, to the point that it was enough to simply trust everyone, including tourists.

But clearly, this is far from the case, with this movement amplified by the relatively new phenomenon of mass tourism that should see the country reach another visitor record this year.

Between the increase in behaviors deemed inappropriate or disrespectful of Japanese culture and traditions, the circumvention of certain laws, and the lack of respect for rules in sacred places, the (bad) examples for which tourists would be responsible have indeed multiplied in recent years. Some have even been widely publicized, sometimes giving a negative image of the country. This has certainly made authorities reflect and now act.

So to the question “Is Japan becoming increasingly wary of foreign tourists?”, the answer is clearly yes. Which, ultimately, might not be surprising and perhaps not such a bad thing either…