"Foreigners to Pay Double Admission?"... Japan Considers Dual Pricing at Museums and Art Galleries

Agency for Cultural Affairs Cites Revenue Improvement
Admission Fees for Foreigners Expected to Be 2 to 3 Times Higher Than for Japanese Nationals

The Japanese government has reportedly decided to require national museums and art galleries to consider introducing a dual pricing system, under which foreigners would pay higher admission fees than Japanese citizens. If the system is implemented, there are concerns that the application of dual pricing within Japan could become more widespread.

The National Museum of Western Art, Japan. Yonhap News Agency

On December 29, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported that the Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan plans to require national museum and art gallery corporations to consider differentiated admission fees for foreigners in order to improve their revenue structures.

Many of Japan's national museums and art galleries rely on government subsidies for more than half of their income, resulting in a fragile financial structure. In addition, the increasing costs associated with providing multilingual audio guides for foreign visitors have led to the conclusion that it is necessary to pass on a certain level of expenses to foreigners.

The Ministry of Finance of Japan expects that, if a dual pricing system is introduced, admission fees for foreign tourists will be about two to three times higher than those for domestic visitors, according to the newspaper.

Previously, as the number of foreign tourists visiting Japan surged, there were a series of controversies as some restaurants and amusement facilities began charging foreigners additional fees. Earlier this year, Himeji City in Hyogo Prefecture considered significantly raising the admission fee for foreigners at Himeji Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but after opposition from the city council, the increase was adjusted to apply to all non-Himeji residents instead of just foreigners.

Meanwhile, dual pricing systems are already in place at major tourist destinations overseas. For example, the Pyramids in Egypt and the Taj Mahal in India charge foreigners higher admission fees than locals, and France's Louvre Museum has announced that it will raise admission fees for non-European Union visitors starting in January next year.