Japan mulls 'departure tax' on travelers in 2019

Japan plans to start collecting a "departure tax" of up to 1,000 yen ($9) from 2019 from tourists and its own citizens who leave the country, media has reported.

The government will put the tax in its reform proposal for next year, which will be worked out late this year, according to the Asahi Shimbun.

The "sayonara tax", which will be added to airfares and other transportation fares, is expected to increase the government's coffers by 40 billion yen.