Kyoto City Considers Raising Accommodation Tax, Including Lowest Category; Mayor Matsui Explains at City Council Session

The Yomiuri Shimbun

12:29 JST, December 3, 2024

Kyoto Mayor Koji Matsui said Monday that the city is considering raising the accommodation tax, including the lowest category which currently stands at ¥200. He said this in response to a question from a city council member at a plenary session of the city council.

The city currently imposes the accommodation tax at ¥200, ¥500, or ¥1,000, depending on the lodging rate. Matsui said, “We have a strong sense of urgency about issues such as [overtourism], which causes negative sentiment.”

“In order to further promote tourism and resolve certain problems, we need several billion yen in new financial resources,” said Matsui. He added, “We need to raise the overall tax rate, including the ¥200 category.”