Japan to cut passport fees by up to 7,000 yen

It aims to submit a passport law amendment to next year's ordinary parliamentary session, slated to begin in January, and secure its enactment during the session so the reductions can be implemented in July, according to Motegi, who was speaking at a news conference Tuesday.

Currently, 10- and five-year passports are available to people aged 18 or over.

The application fee will be lowered to about 9,000 yen from about 16,000 yen at present for the 10-year passport while the five-year passport will be abolished.

For five-year passports for those aged under 18, the fee will be set at a uniform level of about 4,500 yen.

The fee now stands at about 11,000 yen for applicants aged 12-17 and at about 6,000 yen for those aged 11 or below.

The five-year passport is the only option available to 17-year-old and younger people, and will remain so.

The government plans to cover the revenue drop from the passport application fee cuts with a planned increase in the so-called departure tax, imposed on people leaving Japan.