Japan is an amazing country to visit if you want to see past traditions, customs, and architecture alongside the most advanced technology of today, but when it’s time to leave the country after a visit to cities like Kyoto and Tokyo, it’s going to cost you beginning next year.
In April, the Japanese parliament passed a new bill that will require travelers to pay a tax when they leave the country. Beginning January 7, 2019, travelers will notice a 1000 yen ($9-10) fee added to flight or ship tickets departing Japan, and the fee will apply to both foreign and Japanese travelers over the age of two. Called the Sayonara Tax, the fee will not apply to those in Japan on a layover or to anyone in Japan for less than 24 hours.
Japan is expected to raise nearly $402 million from the new tax, which will be used to help the country’s infrastructure and go to technological advancements like free wi-fi and improved transportation.
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Similar taxes are already in place in various parts of the world, including the pricey Air Passenger Duty tax applied to every adult flying out of parts of the UK, and the Passenger Movement Charge, a $46 fee applied to anyone leaving Australia.