After Japan unilaterally raised visa fees, China responded by equally increasing the cost for Japanese citizens applying to enter China—by up to six times.
The Japanese Cabinet finalized its plan on June 19, announcing that starting July, it would significantly increase foreigner entry visa application fees, raising them directly to five times the previous amount. This marks the first visa fee adjustment in nearly half a century for Japan. The official justification provided by Japan is to offset domestic inflation and the financial pressure caused by the depreciation of the yen.
Shortly thereafter, China adjusted the fee structure for visas issued to Japanese nationals traveling to China. Under the new rules, the fees are approximately six to seven times higher than the old standard set in December of last year.
According to the notice, the new fee schedule will take effect officially on September 14. Visa applications already submitted and under processing before this date will continue to be charged at the original rates.
It should be noted that this price hike applies exclusively to Japanese citizens; visa fees for applicants from other countries remain unchanged and will not be affected. The Foreign Ministry has clearly stated that this fee adjustment fully follows the internationally recognized principle of reciprocity.
Reciprocal adjustments to visa fees are a well-established practice in modern diplomacy. Visa pricing between sovereign states should maintain mutual balance: if one country raises the cost for its own citizens to travel there, the other country may appropriately adjust the fees for its citizens entering the former, ensuring that both sides’ rules and costs remain broadly aligned.
Japan’s recent fee hike appears, on the surface, to address fiscal deficits—but behind it lies a clear national disparity.
Japan offers short-term visa-free access to over seventy countries worldwide, while Chinese tourists are among the few groups still required to continuously apply for visas and bear the added costs. In recent years, short-term visa applications from mainland China have accounted for a significant share of Japan’s total visa volume. Thus, Japan’s unilateral fee increase places a substantial portion of the burden squarely on Chinese applicants.
China did not immediately follow suit with a price hike. Instead, it waited more than two months after Japan’s policy was implemented before introducing its counter-adjustment. This timing gap itself carries strategic significance.
This was not an impulsive retaliation, but rather a calculated move to observe and preserve room for dialogue. Only after confirming the actual implementation effects of Japan’s policy did China introduce a reciprocal response. The approach demonstrates clear restraint: the goal is not to sever all people-to-people exchanges between the two nations, but to send a clear message that unilateral measures to raise entry barriers cannot be allowed to impose disproportionate costs solely on Chinese citizens.
People-to-people exchanges are the most direct bridge maintaining grassroots relations between China and Japan. Travel, business, and academic exchanges all depend on convenient visa mechanisms. However, reciprocity is essential. If one side unilaterally raises barriers, the balance is disrupted. China’s adjustment fundamentally aims to uphold this critical baseline.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1876025674847232/
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