Tourist chaos erupts as cherry blossom festival is shut down, officials triple tax to curb crowds

Visitors from far and wide have been traveling to Japan - and now government officials will be raising their tourist tax in an effort to curb overtourism.

Japan will be tripling its international tourist tax of 1,000 yen, or about $6, per person - to 3,000 yen, or about $18, per person - starting July 1.

Hokuto Asano at the Embassy of Japan in Washington, D.C., told Fox News Digital the change is part of the government's efforts to carefully calibrate its tourism goals.

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"[Japan] is targeting 60 million inbound visitors and 15 trillion yen in inbound tourism spending by 2030 - while balancing the expansion of tourism with the quality of life for residents and promoting regional destinations," Asano said.

He said the flow of American tourists who are visiting Japan is "performing very strongly" - noting that there were 220,000 visitors in February of this year, for a 15% increase from 2025.

"While the number of visitors from China to Japan has declined, the increase in tourists from a wide range of other countries has more than offset this trend," said Asano.

As a result, overall inbound travel to Japan continues to exceed last year's levels, he noted. 

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Asano said the country is continuing to closely monitor the impact of the situation in the Middle East on tourism issues for Japan.

Cherry blossom season is a major attraction in Japan, drawing tourists from around the world.

But this year, officials have canceled a popular festival that was meant to attract visitors due to overtourism.

Fujiyoshida canceled its cherry blossom festival, with multiple reports saying the call was made due to tourist pollution, such as traffic jams and littering.

Asano noted these problems are not unique to Japan and are seen in many other countries.

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"The Japan Tourism Agency will continue to enhance its tourism policies by balancing the acceptance of tourists with maintaining the quality of life for local residents, while also promoting travel to regional destinations," he added.

Japan recently launched a new procedure for all incoming visitors in an effort to streamline the travel process - plus to beef up security.

Travelers to Japan could be required to sign up for the Japan Electronic System for Travel Authorization (JESTA) and pay a fee of about $19 (3,000 yen), as Fox News Digital reported earlier. 

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Visitors must apply for the "single-entry short-term stay visa for the purpose of tourism for a period of up to 90 days" online prior to their trip, according to a government website.

Asano said the relevant legislation is currently under examination, "and the establishment of the system has not yet been finalized. Details such as fees and collection methods have not yet been determined."