In Japan, outcry over ‘xenophobic’ plan to charge foreigners more for Himeji Castle entry

Some Japanese voiced support for the move, even arguing it should be expanded to other tourist spots, while critics said it would be “xenophobic” and could hurt the country’s image.

Addressing a convention in the city on Sunday, Mayor Hideyasu Kiyomoto said he would like to raise the cost of entry to the Unesco World Heritage site from the present 1,000 yen (US$6.35) for anyone aged 18 or older.

“I’m thinking of raising the fee,” Kiyomoto said. “I would like foreign people to pay US$30 or so, and then Himeji residents to pay about US$5.”

The mayor added that the money would be reinvested in the tourism sector, going towards repairs to the 400-year-old landmark – known as Himeji or White Heron Castle – and for measures to reduce overtourism in Hyogo prefecture. An estimated 1.48 million people visited the castle last year, some 30 per cent of whom were foreign nationals.

The mayor’s comments were welcomed in some quarters, with online commentators suggesting that the weak yen had made Japan a cheap holiday destination and therefore foreign tourists could afford to pay more than locals.

Others, however, said the proposal would be difficult to implement and monitor, and was simply discriminatory. Some wondered how Japanese tourists would react if they were suddenly required to pay more on a foreign holiday because of the perception that Japan is a wealthy nation.

“This does not sound very fair, and it would be very hard to control,” said Masaru Takayama, president of Kyoto-based Spirit of Japan Travel.

After experiencing dual pricing himself in Central America some decades ago, “I thought it was discriminatory then and a very old-fashioned approach, so this is not a good look,” he said.

Instead of targeting foreigners with higher