Russian tourism to Japan has already surpassed its pre-pandemic peak with two months left in the year, according to data published by the Japan National Tourism Organization.
A total of 159,300 Russians visited Japan from January through the end of October, compared with 79,533 during the same period in 2019 and 120,000 for all of 2019.
The surge comes as Russian travelers look for alternatives to Europe and other Western destinations, which have become increasingly difficult to access since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Last week, Japan said it would raise visa issuance fees for foreign visitors in 2026. The current fee is around 3,000 yen ($19) for a single-entry visa and 6,000 yen ($38) for a double- or multiple-entry visa.
The announcement set off speculation that Japan would start charging Russians to apply for tourist visas. The Japanese Embassy in Russia later said it had no plans to introduce visa charges for Russians, who can currently apply and receive tourist visas for free.
“There are no plans to charge visa fees,” the embassy told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency, adding that applicants will be required to pay a service commission at a Japanese visa center expected to open in January 2026.
While Japan is experiencing a broad boom in tourism, in part due to a weaker Yen, arrivals from Russia are growing faster than those from most other countries, and they are on track to double the total in 2024.
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