Jul 11, 2025
Japan’s new departure tax revenue record comes five years after the tax was introduced in 2019.
According to the Ministry of Finance, Japan generated ¥48.1 billion in revenue from its departure tax in fiscal 2024, surpassing the previous record of ¥44.3 billion set in fiscal 2019. The ¥1,000 tax, which the government introduced in January 2019, is collected as a fee added to ticket prices for airlines or other forms of transportation when leaving the country, and is payable by all travelers, including Japanese citizens.
Japan’s fiscal year for general accounts is from April to the end of March the following year, but revenue from the departure tax includes payments made up to the end of May as income from the previous fiscal year. Since the reported tax revenue for fiscal 2024 is based on data up to the end of April, the final figure is expected to increase further.
The major factors behind the increase in revenue from the tax are the weak yen and increase in the number of international visitors. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, the number of visitors to Japan in fiscal 2024 rose by 34.7% year on year, to 38.8 million.
Since Japan’s departure tax is relatively low compared to other countries, discussions are underway in the Diet on the possibility of raising it.
Data Sources
(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo © Pixta.)