Japan will raise its foreign visa fees on July 1 in its first major adjustment since 1978, but Filipino tourists should not read the change as an automatic charge on every Japan tourist visa application.
Under Japan’s revised schedule, the single-entry visa charge will rise from about ₱1,100 to about ₱5,600. The standard multiple-entry charge will increase from about ₱2,300 to about ₱11,300. The new rates apply to applications submitted on or after July 1.
Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi discussed the revision at a June 19 press conference, the same day Japan approved the change. He said the adjustment reflects inflation and exchange-rate movement since the current fee structure was set 48 years ago, and that Tokyo does not expect an immediate impact on inbound tourism.
For Philippine passport holders, the impact requires context. Ordinary Filipino travelers still need a visa for short-term visits to Japan, unlike travelers from several visa-exempt countries. But current Philippine-facing fee schedules and prior Embassy clarification say tourist visa applicants do not pay a Japan visa fee, apart from visa center charges, agency handling fees and optional services.
“We do not impose any fee for visa, at least for tourism visa,” the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines clarified in March 2025, according to the Philippine News Agency.
The distinction matters because Japan remains one of Filipinos’ strongest overseas destinations. The Japan Embassy earlier said Filipino visitors reached a record 880,000 in 2025, while short-stay visas issued to Philippine passport holders climbed from 73,143 in 2013 to more than 450,000 in 2023.
A separate cost is clearer: Japan’s international tourist tax will rise from about ₱380 to about ₱1,100 per departure starting July 1. Travelers should check the latest Embassy, JVAC or accredited agency notices before filing.
