Japan Has Changed | Top 9 New Things to Know Before Traveling to Japan in 2025 | New Airport Rule

Japan Has Changed | Top 9 New Things to Know Before Traveling to Japan in 2025 | New Airport Rule

Hi, I’m Toshi from Japan and tourist guide for foreigners. In this video, I will show you 9 New Things Japan has changed in 2025. Japan is getting more popular than ever. In February 2025, over 3.25 million foreign tourists visited Japan—a 16.9% increase from last year. With this boom, there are big changes happening, both good and bad, that travelers need to know. For example, there are new updates on immigration procedures at Haneda, Narita, and Kansai airports, a special campaign offering free domestic flights for foreign travelers, and a new pricing system replacing foreigner-only prices. In this video, I’ll cover 9 key updates to help you make your Japan trip smoother, more comfortable, and more enjoyable. Plus, I also offer guided tours in Japan, travel itineraries based on trip duration and area, and recommendations for unique cultural experiences. You can find more information in the description below. So, let’s get started. No1.Haneda Airport’s New Ticket Machines for Foreign Travelers! If you’re flying into Japan you’ll likely arrive at either Haneda or Narita Airport in Tokyo. Haneda, being closer to the city, is a popular choice—and now, it offers a fantastic new service for foreign travelers. Haneda has introduced special ticket vending machines designed specifically for international visitors. While English ticket machines already existed, they were originally built for locals and simply translated into English. That meant a complicated interface and cash-only payments. But now, the new machines feature a 32-inch touchscreen and allow you to search for your destination in four easy ways: station name, station number, route map, and even popular tourist spots. Plus, they support eight languages, including English, Spanish, and Korean—perfect for first-time visitors! Even better, these machines accept credit cards, so you can buy your ticket immediately without needing Japanese yen. With this upgrade, navigating Tokyo’s train system is now smoother than ever. Be sure to take advantage of it for a stress-free start to your Japan adventure! No2.JAL’s Big Travel Deal ~Free Domestic Flights for Foreign Tourists~ In a previous video, I talked about how All Nippon Airways started offering free domestic flights for Chinese travelers when they book an international ticket. Well, guess what? Japan Airlines just took it to the next level! Japan Airlines is now offering the same deal to travelers from a bunch of countries, including the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Thailand, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, India, China, and Taiwan. And they’re even looking to expand this to more countries in the future! Sounds amazing, right? But there are two important things you need to know. First, you have to book your international and domestic flights together through Japan Airlines official website. If you book through a travel agency or buy them separately, you won’t get the free flight. Second, depending on your country, you might have to pay a stopover fee. So before you book, make sure to check Japan Airlines website for all the details. But honestly, this is an incredible chance to explore not just Tokyo and Osaka, but also Japan’s beautiful countryside—for free! If you want to know more about Japan’s lesser-known regions, check out my previous video. And if you’re planning a trip soon, take advantage of this deal and save big on your Japan adventure! No3.End of Foreigner Price? In a previous video, I talked about how some places in Japan were considering charging higher prices for foreign tourists. One of the biggest examples was Himeji Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of Japan’s most famous castles. At one point, they were thinking about charging foreigners four times more than Japanese visitors! But here’s the latest update—they’ve changed their approach. Instead of setting different prices for Japanese and foreigners, they’ve decided to base ticket prices on residency. So, under the new system, Himeji City residents will still pay 1,000 yen, but everyone else—both Japanese and foreign tourists—will now have to pay 2,500 yen. The idea is that city residents get a discount, rather than charging foreigners extra. This type of pricing system is actually common in many countries, including Singapore, and I personally think we might start seeing it in more places across Japan. While there has been a lot of debate about “foreigner pricing” in Japan, very few places have actually introduced it. And with concerns about discrimination, it’s still a controversial topic. If you’re interested in saving money while traveling in Japan, check out my previous video where I talk about how to get the best deals. No4.Leaving Japan Will Get More Expensive Did you know that when you leave Japan, you actually pay an exit tax? Right now, it’s 1,000 yen, but Japan’s government just announced that they’re considering raising it to 3,000–5,000 yen in February 2025. The main reason? Japan is seeing a huge increase in foreign tourists, and some areas are struggling with overtourism. The extra funds would be used to improve infrastructure and manage tourism better. But Japan isn’t the only country doing this! Many places already have higher exit taxes. For example, in Maldives, travelers pay anywhere from $50 to $480, depending on their flight class. Just like in other countries, this fee is usually included in your plane ticket, so most people don’t even realize they’re paying it. And importantly, this won’t just affect tourists—Japanese people leaving Japan will also have to pay the higher fee. As someone who loves traveling abroad, I have to say… this is disappointing! I’ll keep you updated with any new information, so please subscribe to my channel. No5.Nara’s High-Tech Solution to Protect Its Deer Nara is one of the most popular tourist spots in Japan’s Kansai region, and if you visit, you’ll probably go to Nara Park, famous for its wild deer, which are even designated as a national natural treasure. But did you know that until now, Nara Park didn’t have public trash cans? Tourists were expected to take their trash home, but many didn’t, leading to a serious problem—deer accidentally eating plastic waste. In 2019, when researchers examined 14 deer that mysteriously died, they found plastic waste in the stomachs of 9 of them. To solve this, Nara City has introduced smart trash cans that use IoT technology to protect the deer and the environment. These high-tech bins are solar-powered, compress waste to 1/5 of its size, and use wireless communication to alert staff when they need to be emptied. So, if you visit Nara Park, please take your trash with you or use these smart bins to help protect the deer! No6.Game Changer for Rural Travel If you’re planning to explore Japan’s rural areas, here’s some exciting news! JR East, the railway company that operates in Tokyo and the Tohoku region, has announced a new ride-sharing service that uses rental cars—but here’s the twist: station staff will be the drivers! This service is designed for areas where buses and taxis are scarce, operating during hours when public transport isn’t available. Instead of traditional taxis, JR employees will drive rental cars under a public ride-share system. The first test runs will start in Chiba Prefecture, home to Tokyo Disney Resort, and Akita Prefecture in northern Japan. This is a huge step in helping travelers go beyond train stations and explore rural Japan more easily. Unlike other countries, Japan doesn’t have Uber-style ride-sharing—the Uber app here only connects you to traditional taxis. But this new service could be the start of a bigger ride-share movement in Japan! So, if you’ve ever wanted to explore Japan’s rural areas, this could be a game-changer for your travels! No7.Japan’s New Airport Entry System Great news for travelers visiting Japan! Japan has become more popular than ever, but long immigration lines at airports have been a major issue. Just recently, a friend from the U.S. told me he had to wait over an hour just for immigration! To solve this, the Japanese government is launching a new one-stop customs and immigration system using self-service kiosks at three major airports—Haneda, Narita, and Kansai—starting April 2025. This system will mainly help foreign travelers by making the entry process faster and reducing congestion. Japan is working hard to improve the travel experience, making it easier than ever for visitors to enter the country smoothly. I’ve covered other updates on Japan’s immigration process in my previous video, so make sure to check it out to prepare for your trip! No8.Big Changes at Kansai Airport Continuing from the previous chapter, here’s another exciting update about traveling to Japan! On March 27, Kansai International Airport in Osaka reopened after major renovations. The airport has expanded its commercial areas and lounges, and improved facilities for immigration and security checks. The immigration area is now 1.2 times bigger, and the security screening area has expanded by about 2 times, with more lanes for checks. There are also new kiosks that allow you to complete both immigration and customs procedures at the same time. Additionally, the airport now has a system that analyzes crowd levels and directs passengers to available screening machines, increasing the airport’s capacity to handle 6,000 passengers per hour—that’s a 30% increase! This means Kansai Airport can now welcome up to 30 million international passengers annually, which covers around 80% of Japan’s total foreign visitors. With the World Expo in Osaka starting April 2025, these improvements aim to make it easier and more efficient for travelers to enjoy Japan. If you’re traveling to Osaka after April, be sure to make use of these new upgrades to ensure a smooth arrival and enjoy the Expo! No9.Narita Airport’s Big Plans for 2030 Continuing from the previous chapter about Kansai Airport, there’s also an important update regarding Narita Airport, Tokyo’s main international gateway. To accommodate the growing number of foreign tourists, Narita Airport is making major improvements. The airport is planning to build a new runway and extend existing ones. In the near future, the airport will consolidate its current three terminals into a single new terminal to improve efficiency and convenience. Additionally, a new train station will be constructed to connect directly to the new terminal, making it even easier for travelers to navigate the airport. This project is a collaboration between the Japanese government and local authorities, aiming for completion in the early 2030s. Although this won’t affect you immediately, many international visitors arrive at Narita Airport when coming to Japan, so keep this in mind as it may impact your future trips! How was today’s video? If you would like to request a guide in Japan or have any questions regarding your travel itinerary, please contact me from the link in the description section. Don’t forget to subscribe to my channel and like button. See you in my next video, bye!

Japan is getting more popular than ever. In February 2025, over 3.25 million foreign tourists visited Japan—a 16.9% increase from last year. With this boom, there are big changes happening, both good and bad, that travelers need to know.
For example, there are new updates on immigration procedures at Haneda, Narita, and Kansai airports, a special campaign offering free domestic flights for foreign travelers, and a new pricing system replacing foreigner-only prices.
In this video, I’ll cover 9 key updates to help you make your Japan trip smoother, more comfortable, and more enjoyable.
Plus, I also offer guided tours in Japan, travel itineraries based on trip duration and area, and recommendations for unique cultural experiences. You can find more information in the description below.

⭐️HP URL⭐️
https://www.toshi-guide-trip.com/

⭐️CHAPTERS⭐️
0:00 Opening
1:09 1.Haneda Airport’s New Ticket Machines for Foreign Travelers!
2:23 2.JAL’s Big Travel Deal: Free Domestic Flights for Foreign Tourists!
3:53 3.End of Foreigner Price?
5:15 4.Leaving Japan Will Get More Expensive
6:26 5.Nara’s High-Tech Solution to Protect Its Deer!
7:29 6.Game Changer for Rural Travel
8:40 7.Japan’s New Airport Entry System
9:36 8.Big Changes at Kansai Airport
10:59 9.Narita Airport’s Big Plans for 2030

⭐️Related Videos⭐️
Japan Has Changed | Top 9 New Rules to Know Before Traveling to Japan in 2025

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JAPAN HAS CHANGED | Overpriced Service Targeted at foreign tourists | Foreigners’ Prices, High & Low

Japan Has Changed | 20 Ways Tourists Waste Money in Japan 2025

UPDATED Japan Entry Requirements | 30 Things to Know for Your Japan Travel Guide 2025

Japan Has Changed | Top 9 New Things to Know Before Traveling to Japan in 2025

⭐️Information⭐️
Japan records 3.25 million visitors in February
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/03/19/japan/foreign-visitors-february/
3 Japan airports to use unified gates for immigration, customs checks
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20250325/p2g/00m/0bu/062000c
Himeji Castle entry fee to more than double for visitors from outside Japan city
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20250217/p2a/00m/0na/012000c
JR East to offer ride-hailing services at limited locations
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2025/03/03/companies/jr-east-ride-hailing-services/
Kansai International Airport
https://www.kansai-airport.or.jp/en/t1renovation/

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