"Sayonara Tax" To Start In January

Above, the National Diet Building in Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Japanese Diet has enacted a new departure tax that will begin to be levied in January 2019.

According to an article in The Japan News:

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — The Diet enacted on Wednesday a bill to introduce a departure tax of ¥1,000. 

The bill became law as the House of Councillors approved it by a majority vote of ruling coalition members and other lawmakers at a plenary session. 

From January 2019, the tax will be collected each time a person, regardless of nationality, leaves the country. Specifically, the levy will be added to airfares and ship fares. 

Revenue from the tax, estimated to amount to around ¥43 billion per fiscal year, will be used for measures to promote tourism to Japan, including improving multilingual guide services at national parks and cultural assets.

¥1,000 is roughly $10.00 U.S. (give or take).

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