News Releases

Japan Airport Terminal Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Ota-ku, Tokyo; President: Kazuhito Tanaka; hereinafter "Japan Airport Terminal") and GLORY LTD. (Head Office: Himeji, Hyogo; President: Akihiro Harada; hereinafter "GLORY") announced that we will launch "Self Tax Refund," a consumption tax self-refund service developed jointly for international tourists to Japan, at Haneda, Narita, and Naha Airports on November 1, 2026.
The service is designed to support Japan's new tax refund method, which will take effect in November 2026. Using a Self-Service Refund Machine at the airport before boarding their departing flight, eligible tourists can complete refund procedures easily and quickly, and receive their consumption tax refund in cash in approximately one minute.

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  Haneda Airport Terminal 2 international Area (After Immigration)

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  Haneda Airport Terminal 3 (After Immigration)

As the number of international tourists to Japan exceeded 40 million in 2025 and inbound tourism demand is expected to continue growing, the existing tax-free shopping system faced challenges, including fraudulent resale of tax-free goods within Japan without the goods being taken out of the country.
To address these issues, Japan's Tax-Free Shopping System will transition to the Refund Method from November 2026.Under the new method, eligible international tourists will temporarily pay consumption tax when purchasing goods and receive a refund when departing Japan. To support this regulatory change, Japan Airport Terminal and GLORY have established an environment in which eligible tourists can conveniently receive tax refunds in cash through the installation of Self-Service Refund Machines at airports.

 

In July 2025, Japan Airport Terminal and GLORY conducted a pilot test of a consumption tax refund service for foreign residents in Japan at terminal.0 HANEDA, a research and development facility located within HANEDA INNOVATION CITY in Ota-ku, Tokyo. In September 2025, the companies conducted an additional pilot test involving foreign residents in Japan, together with an online survey of 500 international residents who had previously visited Japan.
The findings revealed that simple procedures and faster refunds are key factors influencing tourists' choice of refund method. The results also confirmed demand for cash refunds due to their immediacy and convenience.
Based on these findings, user feedback obtained during the pilot tests has been incorporated into the service's user interface and multilingual support functions. The companies will officially launch the Self Tax Refund Service in November 2026.

 

1. Fast

Tourists can receive a consumption tax refund in approximately one minute through simple self-service operations, including scanning their passport.

2. Immediate Cash Refund

Once tax-free eligibility has been verified, tourists can receive their refund in cash (Japanese yen) directly from the Self-Service Refund Machine.

3. Multilingual Support

The Self-Service Refund Machine supports multiple languages, including Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean, French, Spanish, and Thai. In addition, multilingual remote avatar support is available 24/7.

For more information about the Self Tax Refund service, please visit:
https://www.selftaxrefund.com/en/

 

*Tax-free eligibility verification must be completed before security screening, while refunds are received after immigration.
*The locations of the Tax-Free Eligibility Verification (Kiosk) and the Self-Service Refund Machine vary by airport.

 

Japan Airport Terminal and GLORY aim to expand the service to other airports across Japan by the end of March 2028. The companies will continue enhancing operational efficiency and developing a more convenient tax refund platform for international tourists.

 

*Self-Service Refund Machines installed by Japan Airport Terminal and GLORY

         

From November 1, 2026, Japan's consumption tax exemption system for international tourists will be shifted to a refund method.
Under the new method, tourists will initially purchase goods including consumption tax. When departing Japan within 90 days of purchase, tourists can present their passport at a tax refund kiosk operated by Japan Customs at airports verify that the purchased goods are being taken out of Japan. Once the verification is completed, an amount equivalent to the consumption tax will be refunded by tax-free shop or the refund service provider.
Refunds may be issued via credit card, various cashless payment methods, or cash. Available refund methods vary by tax-free shop, so tourists are advised to confirm the available options with the shop in advance.

 

Contact

• Japan Tourism Agency 「Tax-Free Shopping System Refund Method Leaflet (For Travelers)」