Japan has announced that it will increase visa fees by 400% for Pakistan and over 100 other countries starting July 1, 2026.
This marks the first visa hike in almost 50 years. The first changes in visa fees of Japan took place in 1978.
Now, the fee for a single-entry visa will see a major increase from 3000 yen to 15000 yen.
On the other hand, a multiple-entry visa fee will rise from 6000 yen to nearly 30,000 yen.
It is important to note that Pakistan is not on the the official list of 74 countries that are eligible for short-term entry without a visa in Japan.
Pakistani travelers who wish to visit the country must now apply for a visa for Japan and will face higher costs.
Japan’s Foreign Minister, Toshimitsu Motegi has said that the government made these changes due to inflation and new foreign exchange rates.
Since 2021, Japan’s currency saw a major dip. This was only made worse during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now the country is recovering in areas such as international tourism. In 2025 alone, Japan received nearly 42.7 million visitors with the weaker currency making food and living expenses cheaper for foreigners.
The government of Japan hopes that the new visa fees changes will move their visa system to the same level of other G7 countries.
Japan suspends Indian mangoes imports
Earlier, Japan suspended the imports of Indian mangoes for the first time in almost 20 years, according to reports.
The decision was taken after officials found problems in India’s pest control and fumigation systems, according to the Indian media reports.
The suspension is expected to affect exports of popular Indian mango varieties such as Alphonso, Kesar, Langra, and Banganapalli.
Reports also said that Japanese officials inspected Vapour Heat Treatment (VHT) facilities in Lucknow in March of 2026.
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