The ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its partner Komeito decided to introduce a departure tax on January 7, 2019 to collect 1,000 yen every time a foreigner or Japanese citizen leaves Japan.
According to the ruling coalition, the financial resources collected through this new taxation system will be used to develop a stress-free travel environment, better deliver information about Japanese tourist attractions to the world, develop original tourism resources in the countryside, and improve the satisfaction of travelers regarding local experiences and stays.
The taxation will apply to all the travelers departing from Japan except 1) the crews of airlines and cruise ships, 2) connection passengers staying in an airport for 24 hours maximum, 3) passengers on international cruise ships staying in Japan for a reasonable reason e.g. weather and 4) babies and children up to two years old.
Meanwhile, the Japanese government is promoting electronic/paperless procedures linked to duty-free for international visitors, and is reviewing the lowest price of duty free goods (general goods and consumable goods).
