Some Canadian travellers will have to pay much more on visa to enter Japan

Japan is moving ahead with a major change that will dramatically increase how much some travellers from Canada will have to pay to visit.

An upcoming hike will see some travellers from Canada paying significantly more to visit Japan, with costs set to rise five times the amount. The Japanese government has confirmed that it's increasing visa fees for foreign nationals, according to NHK World Japan.

The new fee, which was approved on Friday, marks the first increase in nearly 50 years. According to Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu, Japan's current visa fees were set in 1978, and the new fees reflect rising prices and changes in foreign exchange rates.

How much more will you have to pay?

According to the Consulate-General of Japan in Toronto, Canadians with valid passports do not need a visa to travel to Japan for tourism or short-term business purposes. Canadian citizens can stay in the country for up to 90 days.

However, you might need to apply for a visa to travel to Japan if you're not a Canadian passport holder.

"If you hold a passport of a country with a reciprocal visa exemption arrangement with Japan, you do not need a visa to enter Japan for a short-term stay. Otherwise, you need one," states the website for the Consulate-General of Japan in Montreal.

In Canada, it currently costs C$28 (around JPY3,000) to apply for a single-entry visa, while the double or multiple entry visa fee is C$56 (around JPY6,000). However, the fee will go up by five times to around C$150 (JPY15,000) for a single-entry visa, and the double or multiple entry visa fee will go up to around C$263 (JPY30,000).

When will the new fee kick in?

The new fee will apply to all new applications submitted on or after July 1.

Toshimitsu stated that he doesn't expect the fee hike to have an immediate effect on the number of incoming tourists.

According to the Government of Canada, 688,000 Canadian visitors travelled to Japan in 2025.

Visa fees aren't the only changes kicking in on July 1.

The county is set to increase its mandatory departure tax from around C$8.71 or JPY1,000 to around C$26.28 or JPY3,000.