From increases in commodity prices to mandatory bicycle insurance, increase in entry ticket fees to theme parks and hospital prices. Here is a list of what you need to know that has changed since the first day of April 2020.
1. Increase in Commodity Prices
For example, Nisshin Oilio group has decided to increase the price of cooking oil by approximately 20 yen a kilo and Maruha Nichiro has announced to increase the price of canned saury fish by 10 yen per can.
2. Fee Charges for Plastic Bags
The Aeon group has stopped giving out their plastic shopping bags for free. This has already been implemented at some stores since February, but they have announced that this will take place in most of their stores across Japan by July 2020. That will be 7,300 stores by April and additional 4,000 stores by July. The famous drugstore called Matsumotokiyoshi and stores like Uniqlo and GU will also start charging for their plastic bags.
3. Mandatory Insurance for Bicycle Riders
From the first of April onwards, you will be required to have insurance when you ride bicycles around Tokyo.
This action takes place due to an increase in the rate of bicycle accidents in Tokyo. They say the insurance is available from major insurance companies and at some convenience stores starting from 1,200 yen.
Some surrounding prefectures already have law enforcements made, so make sure you check at your local government office.
4. Increase/ Decrease in Health Insurance Prices
This may not apply to some of the readers who reside out of Japan, but for those who do apply, you will need to know that the amount you pay for your health insurance 【健康保険:けんこうほけん】will increase or decrease depending on where you reside in Japan. For example, Tokyo is a decrease from 9.9% to 9.87%.
5. Increase in Bank Fees and Charges
The Japan Post Bank, Mizuho Bank, and the MUFG Bank have increased their fees and charges as of the first of April. This includes ATM withdrawal fees, transaction fees, and other fees like card issuance fees.
6. Changes to Smoking Rules (Tokyo Bureau of Social Welfare and Public Health)
Main changes to this will include the following,
– No smoking will be allowed in most of the indoor facilities, shops and restaurants unless specified other ways.
– Places where allow smoking will need specific signage displayed at the entrance where it would be visible to guests, users, and customers.
– People aged 20 or under will not be able to entre places that allow smoking.
– While most facilities do not allow smoking, some are allowed to install designated smoking areas.
For specific details, please refer to official government page here (Jp).
7. Theme Parks Ticket Price Increase
While most places are still closed due to SARS-CoV-2 some theme parks like TDR have increased their ticket prices.
There are still more changes that took place as of 1st of April 2020, but we will make a list that includes the rest shortly.
PROFILE
I've lived in Tokyo for a few years now, and I love wandering Japan looking for good food, lovely new places, and the best tourist attractions throughout the country. Articles translated by Sophia Appelbaum.
COMMENT
FEATURED MEDIA
VIEW MORESee Kyoto Clearly With Your New Glasses #japankuru #kyoto #jins #교토여행 #진즈 #京都 #교토수족관 #가모가와 #kamogawa #kyotoaquarium
A Very Special Trip on the Ferry Sunflower #japankuru #ferrysunflower #hokkaidotrip #japanexperience #japantrip #girlstrip #oarai #tomakomai #北海道 #北海道旅行 #茨城 #홋가이도 #일본선박여행 #토마코마이 #이바라키 #북해도 #페리여행 #여행에미치다 #여자끼리 #日本渡輪 #sunflower號 #坐船旅行 #日本女子旅 #日本體驗
Japanese Makeup Shopping • A Trip to Kamakura & Enoshima With Canmake’s Cool-Toned Summer Makeup #pr #canmake #enoshima #enoden #에노시마 #캔메이크 #japanesemakeup #japanesecosmetics
⚔️The Robot Restaurant is gone, but the Samurai Restaurant is here to take its place. Check it out, and don't forget your coupon! 🍣신주쿠의 명소 로봇 레스토랑이 사무라이 레스토랑으로 부활! 절찬 쿠폰 발급중 💃18歲以上才能入場的歌舞秀,和你想的不一樣!拿好優惠券去看看~ #tokyo #shinjuku #samurairestaurant #robotrestaurant #tokyotrip #도쿄여행 #신주쿠 #사무라이레스토랑 #이색체험 #할인이벤트 #歌舞伎町 #東京景點 #武士餐廳 #日本表演 #日本文化體驗 #japankuru #japantrip #japantravel #japanlovers #japan_of_insta
Japanese appliance & electronics shopping with our KOJIMA x BicCamera coupon! 用JAPANKURU的KOJIMA x BicCamera優惠券買這些正好❤️ 코지마 x 빅 카메라 쿠폰으로 일본 가전 제품 쇼핑하기 #pr #japankuru #japanshopping #kojima #biccamera #japaneseskincare #yaman #dji #osmopocket3 #skincaredevice #日本購物 #美容儀 #相機 #雅萌 #日本家電 #일본여행 #면세 #여행꿀팁 #일본쇼핑리스트 #쿠폰 #일본쇼핑 #일본브랜드 #할인 #코지마 #빅카메라 #japankurucoupon
Odaiba's DiverCity Tokyo Plaza is home to the famous real-size 20m-tall Unicorn Gundam, and the popular shopping center has even more Gundam on the inside! Check out the Gundam Base Tokyo on the 7th floor for shelves upon shelves of Gunpla, and the Gundam Base Tokyo Annex on the 2nd floor for cool anime merchandise. Both shops have tons of limited-edition items! #pr #odaiba #tokyo #tokyotrip #japantrip #japantravel #PR #divercity #divercitytokyoplaza #tokyoshopping #gundam #unicorngundam #gundambasetokyo #anime #otaku #gunpla #japankuru #오다이바 #다이바시티도쿄 #오다이바건담 #건담 #일본건담 #건프라 #건담베이스도쿄