Japan triples tax to curb overtourism

Japan is taking drastic measures to combat overtourism after a popular cherry blossom festival near Mount Fuji was canceled due to overcrowding, traffic chaos, and unruly tourist behavior, including trespassing and littering, reports Fox News.

Festival canceled amid 'Tourism Pollution'

Fujiyoshida city officials announced the cancellation of the 2026 Mount Fuji Cherry Blossom Festival, an annual event that typically draws over 200,000 visitors to Arakurayama Sengen Park. The festival was scrapped after residents complained about chronic traffic jams, piles of litter, ill-mannered tourists knocking on doors of private homes to borrow toilets and even defecating in private yards.
"This area is primarily an ordinary residential neighborhood, where balancing tourism with the safety of people's living environment has become difficult," Masatoshi Hada, manager of the Fujiyoshida Economics and Environment Department, told the Associated Press.
In recent years, foreign tourists have exceeded 10,000 per day in the area, which has "threatened residents' daily lives," the city said in a statement.

Tourist tax tripled

Starting July 1, 2026, Japan will triple its international tourist tax from 1,000 yen (about $6) to 3,000 yen (about $18) per person. The move is part of the government's efforts to carefully calibrate its tourism goals while balancing visitors’ influx with the quality of life for residents.
Hokuto Asano at the Embassy of Japan in Washington, D.C., said Japan is targeting 60 million inbound visitors and 15 trillion yen in tourism spending by 2030 — while promoting regional destinations

Additional measures

Even without the festival, foreign tourists packed the area in early April when cherry blossoms reached their prime. Beginning April 1, Fujiyoshida increased security guards, restricted entry of tour buses and vehicles, and required visitors to reach the park on foot. Officials are also installing portable toilets and creating temporary parking spaces.

What locals call "tourism pollution" has illuminated a broader problem: as Japan's economy struggles, officials seek tourism revenue even as communities find themselves unprepared for massive crowds.