It’s impossible to get irritated with a country as respectful & polite as Japan, even when its leaders are charging you a little extra for visiting.
AND especially when that fee on tourists in Japan isn’t all that much and it’s given a name as sweet and delightful as a “goodbye tax”.
The country’s new tourist tax aka the ‘sayonara tax‘ or ‘goodbye tax’ came into effect this week and requires all departing visitors to pay 1,000 yen or AU$13.
Thirteen dollars – that’s less than what some people spend on their lunch every day.
The fee will be collected by airlines and cruise lines. It will then be handed to the Japanese government where it will go towards tourist infrastructure.
People who are exempt from paying the tax include those who are in Japan for less than 24 hours and cruise passengers who enter the country due to weather or other uncontrollable circumstances.
Children under the age of two will also be exempt, along with ship and aircraft crew members, people being deported, and diplomats
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