TOKYO: Airports in Japan will be allowed to provide duty-free shopping for arriving international passengers from fiscal 2017 in an effort to drive more spending activity among foreign tourists, according to Japan Today. Currently, tax-free shops at airports in the country are only located in departure lounges. However, the publication reported that sources said as a growing number of overseas airports are introducing arrivals duty-free, Japan is set to follow suit to encourage foreign travellers and Japanese people returning home to spend more money when arriving in the country.
This is part of an envision tax system reform from Japan’s governing party, who is seeking to introduce measures such as the removal of five countries from the list that are subject to a preferential tariff system that was designed to favour developing markets. China, Brazil, Mexico, Thailand and Malaysia is set to be the countries affected by the change, as they are viewed as countries that do not need to receive favourable treatment for imports.
