Japan cuts passport fees

The five-year passport is no longer available for adults.

Minors are eligible only for a five-year passport, with the fee unified at 4,400 yen from the previous 5,900 yen for children under 12 and 10,900 yen for those aged 12 to 17.

Applicants filing in person will have to pay an additional 400 yen.

The Foreign Ministry says that passport issuance is likely to take about one month for the time being, instead of about two weeks usually, because of an expected surge in applications.

The reductions in passport fees coincided with an increase in the international tourist tax, commonly known as the departure tax.

Japan also raised visa fees on Wednesday to 15,000 yen from 3,000 yen for a single-entry visa and to 30,000 yen from 6,000 yen for a multiple-entry visa.