KUALA LUMPUR - Japan will raise visa fees for foreigners for the first time in 48 years after approving revisions to a related Cabinet order.

The decision was made at a Cabinet meeting on Friday and marks the first adjustment to visa charges since 1978.

The fee for a single-entry visa will increase from ¥3,000 to ¥15,000, while the fee for a multiple-entry visa will rise from ¥6,000 to ¥30,000.

The revised charges will apply to visa applications submitted from July 1, as reported by The Japan Times.

Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said the existing visa fees were set in 1978 and no longer reflected inflation and exchange rate movements.

He said the government did not expect the increase to have an immediate impact on inbound tourism.

The fee revision follows the enactment of legislation last month allowing visa and residency-related charges to be increased significantly.

The law raises the statutory ceiling for fees related to residency status changes or extensions of stay from ¥10,000 to ¥100,000.

The maximum fee for permanent residency applications has also been increased from ¥10,000 to ¥300,000.

Under the revised framework, actual fees will continue to be determined through Cabinet orders within the new limits.

The government has proposed raising fees for residency status changes and stay extensions from the current range of ¥5,500 to ¥6,000 to between ¥10,000 and ¥70,000.

Fees for permanent residency applications are also expected to increase from ¥10,000 to ¥200,000.

The government aims to implement the broader fee revisions before the end of the next fiscal year on March 31, 2027.

Additional revenue generated from the higher charges will be used to help manage Japan’s growing foreign resident population.

The funds will also support Japanese-language education programmes and strengthen measures against illegal overstayers.

Japan’s foreign resident population reached a record 4.13 million at the end of 2025.

The government said the fee increases would bring Japan’s immigration-related charges closer to levels seen in Western countries.

Visa renewal fees in the United States range from about US$420 to US$470, while comparable fees in Germany range from €93 to €98.