New Rules and Fees Australians Travelling to Japan Need to Know

by Sharyn McCullum | Jun 23, 2026 | News

Tokyo Shibuya Crossing with zebra crossing surrounded by buildings with plenty of neon lights.

So you’re off to Japan. Well, there are some new Japanese rules and fees you should be aware of in 2026 if you’re Australian. To help combat over-tourism, the Japanese government has introduced a few new tourist taxes, attraction fees and local fines. Here are the major ones you need to know about.

Table of Contents

New Taxes and Fees

‘Sayonara tax’

Since 2019, anyone leaving Japan, including citizens, has been required to pay a small exit fee. Similar to Australia’s Passenger Movement Charge (PMC), it was automatically added to the price of your plane or ferry ticket. From July 1, the Japanese Government will raise this tax for the very first time from ¥1,000 (AUD $8.80 as of June 2026) to ¥3,000 (depending on the exchange rate that is around AUD $26.50).

Litter fine

‘Litter fine’ I hear you say! Yep, ‘if you throw trash, you will loose cash’. That’s the slogan of Shibuya’s latest campaign to stop visitors from littering. As of June 1, anyone caught leaving rubbish around the busy Tokyo hub will face an on-the-spot fine of ¥2,000 (around AUD $17.50). This comes in response to an increasing number of foreign tourists openly drinking and littering in the area.

Tax-free shopping

Currently, tourists in Japan can shop tax-free at designated stores on purchases of more than ¥5,000 (~AUD $44), simply by showing their passports. But from November 1, 2026, Japan is switching to a ‘pay first, refund later’ model. You’ll have to pay the full tax-inclusive price at checkout, then claim the ten per cent tax refund at the airport before flying home.

Lodging tax

From April 2026, 20 local governments – including Hokkaido, Sapporo and Hiroshima – introduced or increased local lodging taxes. Designed to fund over-tourism, crowd management and upgrade visitor infrastructure, these accommodation levies are typically charged per person, per night. The flat rate ranges from around ¥100 to ¥500 per night (AUD $0.88 to $4.50).

What Do These New Taxes Mean?

So what do all these new taxes mean for us Aussies heading to Japan on holiday. Well, it means you will be paying a little more to enjoy this wonderful country. But I think it will be worth it!

Source: Time Out Australia

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Hi, I’m Sharyn. Travel addict. Lover of ’80s music. Chocolate, coffee and Mexican food connoisseur. Travel Writing Digital Nomad specialising in writing about how to live and work abroad (and play abroad too). Currently living, working and playing in Australia.