Japan Starts July with Higher Entry Costs: What Does This Mean for Hungarian Travelers?

From July 1, the international tourist tax in Japan is increasing, and based on a recent government decision, Japanese visa issuance fees are also becoming significantly more expensive for travelers who require a visa. For Hungarian tourists, the most important message is twofold: for short tourist trips of up to 90 days, a visa is still not required with a Hungarian passport, but the increase in the tax payable upon departure from Japan, which is built into the flight ticket, may appear in most travel budgets.

In the summer of 2026, Japan is simultaneously trying to manage record-near inbound tourism, inflation, the weak yen, and the growing burdens of immigration administration. The change is not a single new entry rule, but several interconnected cost elements: the international tourist tax is increasing from 1,000 yen to 3,000 yen, while a larger increase in visa fees is coming into effect for citizens who are not part of Japan's visa-waiver system. This topic is important for Hungarian travelers as well, because Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hokkaido, and Okinawa remain highly sought-after long-haul destinations, and the total price of a trip to Japan consists of more than just the flight ticket and accommodation.

When planning a trip to Japan, many have previously handled the large items separately - flight ticket, accommodation, Japan Rail Pass, internal transport - and paid less attention to the smaller fees that are automatically built into the booking. This is why the current change is not necessarily striking at the moment of purchase, but for larger family or group trips, it can mean a noticeable difference. For a family of four, for example, the increase in the tourist tax could mean an additional 2,000 yen per person, totaling an 8,000 yen surplus compared to what would have been paid under the previous rule.

What Changes from July 1?

According to information from the Japan National Tourism Organization, Japan's international tourist tax will increase from 1,000 yen to 3,000 yen starting July 1. This fee is not a classic arrival visa fee, but a tax associated with departing from Japan. For most air passengers, the airline or the sales system collects it as part of the ticket price, meaning the tourist often does not encounter it at a separate counter, but in the final total of the flight ticket.

The other important change relates to visa fees. According to recent international reports, the Japanese government approved the fee increase on June 19, which takes effect on July 1. For travelers requiring a visa, the fee for a single-entry visa increases from 3,000 yen to 15,000 yen, and the fee for a multiple-entry visa increases from 6,000 yen to 30,000 yen. This is a significant five-fold increase, but it does not automatically affect every tourist.

From a Hungarian perspective, it is necessary to be very precise. According to the visa information of the Embassy of Japan in Hungary, Hungarian citizens can enter Japan without a visa with a valid Hungarian passport for short-term stays of up to 90 days - for example, for tourism, visiting relatives or friends, short business trips, conferences, or other non-paid activities. This means that for an average Hungarian tourist visiting Tokyo or Osaka, on a tour, or on vacation, the direct cost item will not be the visa fee increase, but primarily the increased tourist tax.

Who is Directly Affected by the Visa Fee Increase?

The visa fee increase primarily affects travelers who travel to Japan with a passport that requires a prior visa. This may be relevant for travelers living in Hungary but who do not have Hungarian citizenship, international students, third-country employees, mixed-citizenship families, or groups where not all participants have a visa-exempt passport.

Those who are not traveling as simple tourists may also be subject to different procedures. If someone plans a stay in Japan longer than 90 days, studies, employment, a professional assignment, or other activities tied to a special permit, it is not enough to rely on the rules for short-term tourist travel. In such cases, it is advisable to check the exact conditions at the Japanese embassy, on the visa page of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or at the receiving institution.

According to data published by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on June 23, Japanese embassies and consulates issued a total of 7,862,060 visas in 2025, which represented an approximately 9 percent increase compared to 2024, and was the second highest annual number after the pre-pandemic record of 2019. This clearly shows that the increase in visa fees is not a marginal administrative issue: it affects travelers to Japan on a mass scale in many global markets, even if the majority of Hungarian short-term tourists fall into the visa-exempt category.

Why is Japan Increasing Fees?

Several reasons appear in official and government communication. Regarding visa fees, Japan states that the previous fee level had remained essentially unchanged for decades, while administrative costs, the maintenance of technological systems, immigration control, and tasks related to managing the foreign population have become significantly more expensive. Due to the recovery of international tourist traffic and the weak yen, Japan has become a more affordably priced destination for many travelers, which has further increased pressure on popular cities, railway hubs, airports, and heritage sites.

The logic behind the tourist tax increase is partly different. This fee is linked to the maintenance and development of Japanese tourism infrastructure. According to the JNTO, the collected amounts serve to support public utilities, airport and tourism infrastructure, the restoration of historical values, and online tourism information systems. In other words, this is not simply a punitive fee, but revenue that Japan allocates to the costs of operating and making tourism more sustainable.

This is particularly important when Japan wants to simultaneously maintain the economic benefits of inbound tourism and alleviate overcrowding at the most visited spots. Kyoto, Tokyo, Osaka, Nara, and the Fuji region have frequently been in the spotlight in recent years due to mass tourism, transport load, and the effects on the daily lives of local communities. The fee increases themselves do not solve these problems, but they indicate that Japan is moving more and more toward a more precise sharing of the costs of tourism.

What Does This Mean for a Trip to Japan Starting from Hungary?

Currently, most trips to Japan from Hungary are made with transfers, often through large European or Middle Eastern hubs. Those traveling to Tokyo typically arrive at Haneda or Narita airports. When searching for flight tickets, it is worth comparing the Budapest-Tokyo Haneda and Budapest-Tokyo Narita routes separately, as in addition to the price difference, the time to reach the city, connection risks, and baggage conditions may differ.

The increased tourist tax may appear in the ticket price, so for purchases or departures after July 1, it will not always be easy to identify as a separate line item. The best practice is for the passenger to compare not only the base fare but also the total amount payable, taxes and fees, and baggage fees before finalizing the booking. For long-haul trips, the biggest differences continue to be the timing of the flight ticket, the quality of the transfer, the location of the accommodation, and the price of local transport, but the accumulation of smaller fees is not negligible.

In the case of Tokyo, the choice of airport is also a cost issue. Haneda is closer to the city center, making it more convenient for many travelers, especially for late evening arrivals or short stays. Narita often offers more international options, but getting to the city can mean more time and separate costs. Those arriving late, departing early, or building transfers with separate tickets should look into accommodation around Haneda Airport or hotels available near Narita Airport. The same applies to airport transfers: the time required, price, and comfort level differ at Haneda and Narita, so checking the Haneda transfer and Narita transfer in advance can help avoid unpleasant surprises.

What Should Visa-Exempt Hungarian Tourists Pay Attention To?

Visa exemption does not mean there are no entry conditions. The passport must be valid, the purpose of the trip must fit into the short-term stay category, and at the border, Japanese authorities may request information about the return or onward journey, accommodation, travel plans, and financial means. The Japanese embassy specifically highlights that for short-term stays, Japan does not set a separate minimum passport validity period beyond the requirement that the passport must be valid until departure from Japan. Nevertheless, due to the airline and transfer country rules, it is advisable to travel with a passport that has ample validity.

Those traveling with a non-Hungarian passport, or living with a Hungarian residence permit, should not start from the visa exemption applicable to Hungarian citizens. The same applies to travelers with multiple citizenships: it must always be checked which Japanese entry rule is valid based on the passport used for travel. This is particularly important for group and family trips, as it may happen that within a family, one passenger can travel visa-free, while another must apply for a visa.

How Might the Price of Trips to Japan Change?

The increase in the tourist tax alone will not dramatically rewrite the price of a tour of Japan, but it would be wrong to call it completely insignificant. Japan in 2026 is a destination where costs can quickly spiral: hotel prices in Tokyo and Kyoto are high in the peak season, internal rail and air travel require advance planning, and popular programs and themed attractions often operate with time-slot bookings.

Hungarian travelers should therefore view a trip to Japan as a complete cost package. Beyond the final flight ticket price, one must account for airport fees, the tourist tax, baggage fees, transport to the city, possible airport overnight stays, local transport, meals, attraction entrance fees, and the risk of currency exchange rates. If someone books after July, they should look not only at how favorable the base price is, but also at what taxes and fees the system shows on the payment page.

It is also important that the news of the visa fee increase does not cause unnecessary panic among Hungarian tourists. A short city visit, honeymoon, anime or gastronomic trip, or a classic Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka tour by a Hungarian citizen can still fall into the visa-exempt category if the purpose and duration of the trip comply with the rules. The actual change in the budget will be the increase in the tourist tax and the general price dynamics of Japanese tourism services.

What is Worth Doing Now?

Those preparing for Japan in the summer or autumn of 2026 should first check which passport they are traveling with, whether a visa is required, and what taxes appear in the final total when booking the flight ticket. Visa-exempt Hungarian tourists should also keep their accommodation booking, return or onward ticket, and the itinerary for the first few days in printed or offline accessible form. Not because Japan has suddenly become harder to reach, but because on a long-haul trip, even a small administrative deficiency can take up a lot of time.

If the traveler is not a Hungarian citizen, or is not planning a typical tourist trip, then the change in visa fees may be a direct financial and timing issue. In such cases, it is not advisable to rely solely on social media summaries: the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Embassy of Japan in Hungary, and the Japanese diplomatic mission according to the traveler's citizenship provide the authoritative information.

Japan is therefore not closing its doors to tourists, but is clearly pricing the operation of tourism higher for a part of its services. The best response for Hungarian travelers is not to cancel the trip, but more precise cost planning: checking visa exemption, comparing the total price of the flight ticket, consciously choosing the arrival airport in Tokyo, and planning local transport in advance. Those who do this will find Japan remains a well-plannable destination in the second half of 2026, just with less room to overlook hidden or automatically included fees.