Japanese museums and art galleries either adopt "dual pricing" for foreign tourists, with the ticket prices being higher for them

The Japanese national treasury is in a tight situation, so the government has cut the funds allocated to national museums and art galleries. To make up for the lack of financial resources, the Japanese authorities plan to adopt a dual-entry fee system similar to that of the Louvre in Paris, charging different entrance fees for domestic and foreign tourists.

For a long time, the operating funds of museums and art galleries in Japan have mainly come from government grants. However, according to Japanese media reports, the Japanese government's new fiscal year plan aims to increase the proportion of self-generated income (such as ticket sales) from these venues in the expenses of planned exhibitions and other activities to 65% within five years, and to reach 100% within ten years, in order to break away from the financial structure of full government subsidies.

Venues that fail to achieve the goal of independent operation will be subject to reorganization.

A government official said in an interview with a Japanese media outlet: "Japan's national debt has reached an all-time high. Given the extremely difficult financial situation of the country, relying on government funding for museums and their collections is not sustainable. The authorities need to establish a system that can ensure the venues have their own sources of income."

Data released by Japan earlier this month showed that as of the end of March 2026, the total amount of government debt, including national bonds, borrowings and short-term government securities, had reached 1343.84 trillion yen, an increase of 20.13 trillion yen compared to the end of the previous fiscal year, marking the highest level in ten consecutive years.

Professor Jin Kanjiro from Waseda University also pointed out that Japan's current practice of having the government support museums and art galleries is based on a sense of social responsibility, allowing people of all social backgrounds to enter the exhibition halls. However, under financial pressure, it is inevitable that each venue will strive for profitability.

The continuous stream of foreign tourists has become an important source of funds. In 2025, the number of international tourists visiting Japan reached a new high of 42.68 million. Therefore, the Japanese authorities proposed to increase the revenue from tourism and suggested imposing higher ticket prices on foreign tourists.

In many parts of Japan, the implementation of dual pricing has been under consideration. For instance, Kyoto and Osaka are the "golden routes" for tourism, and the public transportation in these two cities becomes even more crowded due to the influx of tourists. To obtain more funds for expanding transportation routes, the Kyoto Municipal Transportation Bureau is considering implementing a dual ticket system in 2027. At that time, the fare for foreign tourists may be twice as much as that for local residents.

The "Himeji Castle", which is listed as a World Heritage Site, has recently also implemented a dual ticket system. Japanese residents pay 1,000 yen while tourists pay 2,500 yen - an increase of more than half.

Shiga Prefecture Governor Kiyoharu Shigemitsu said, "This price difference can bring about an additional approximately 270 million yen in revenue for the city, doubling the income of this attraction compared to last year."

Regarding the dual pricing system, Japanese netizens generally expressed their support. In the face of the pressure of a weak yen and rising prices, they believe that implementing a dual pricing system for foreign tourists is appropriate.