Tourism from Russia to Japan has already surpassed levels seen before the pandemic, with two months remaining in the year, according to data from the Japan National Tourism Organization.

From January through the end of October, approximately 159,300 Russian tourists traveled to Japan, a significant increase compared to 79,533 during the same timeframe in 2019, and 120,000 for the entire year of 2019.

This increase in visitors is largely driven by Russian travelers seeking alternatives to European and other Western destinations, which have become more challenging to reach following the onset of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Recently, Japan announced plans to increase visa fees for foreign visitors starting in 2026. Currently, the fee stands at about 3,000 yen (around $19) for a single-entry visa and 6,000 yen (approximately $38) for a double-entry or multiple-entry visa.

This announcement led to speculation about the potential implementation of visa fees for Russian tourists. However, the Japanese Embassy in Russia clarified that there are no plans to impose charges for Russian applicants, who can presently obtain tourist visas without any fees.

“There are no intentions to introduce visa fees,” the embassy stated to the state-run news agency RIA Novosti, mentioning that applicants will need to cover a service fee at a Japanese visa center expected to open in January 2026.

While Japan is witnessing a significant surge in tourism, partly due to a weaker yen, the influx of Russian visitors is growing at a rate faster than that from most other nations, with projections indicating that their numbers could double by 2024.