In a controversial move announced recently, the Japanese government has decided to eliminate holiday discounts for expressway tolls during all 3 consecutive holidays from April 2025. This decision has sparked concern among both drivers and businesses that rely heavily on traffic from highway users, particularly those operating roadside stations and tourist attractions.
The elimination of these discounts means that travelers will see tolls revert to weekday pricing on these busy travel days, which raises the financial burden for families and individuals looking to take advantage of longer weekends. Many drivers express frustration, particularly with rising gasoline prices compounding the situation. One user of a roadside station stated, “Gasoline prices are really high, and if highway tolls are not discounted, it will be difficult to go out.”
As it stands, under the current holiday discount scheme, expressway users can enjoy a 30% discount when using ETC on weekends and holidays. However, significant travel periods like Golden Week, New Year's, and now, all 3 consecutive holidays, have been excluded from this offer. For instance, a trip to the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum, which currently costs 3,990 yen from Suita IC in Osaka Prefecture to Fukui IC, will jump to 5,220 yen after April, a rise of 1,230 yen. Similarly, a visit to Wakayama's Shirahama will see highway costs increase from 3,270 yen to 4,220 yen, adding an additional 950 yen during these holidays.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism asserts that the decision to exclude discounts is primarily driven by the need to combat congestion that occurs during these busy holiday periods. An official from the Ministry explained, “We eliminated the discount because congestion occurs during 3 consecutive holidays. Theme parks also tend to raise fees on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.” They further justified the changes as not being a price increase per se, but rather equalizing holiday toll rates with weekday pricing.
Despite these assurances, the public’s reaction has been largely negative. Concerns have emerged from users and local businesses that anticipate lower customer numbers during critical tourist periods. The manager of the Roadside Station "Meiji no Mori/Kurohone" expressed her worries, stating, “Many people plan to come on weekends, so I am concerned about how many customers will come during these holidays.” The reluctance to travel due to increased costs could significantly impact roadside businesses that usually cater to families on outings.
This change in policy raises questions about the government’s ongoing efforts to encourage travel and leisure activities. For years, the government has pushed initiatives to create more 3-day weekends by shifting holidays to Mondays to stimulate domestic tourism. Yet now, this recent announcement may seem contradictory to those efforts. Observers are noting this dissonance, wondering whether this policy might hinder rather than help the tourism sector, despite the official narrative of promoting weekday travel.
Moreover, experts suggest that this new toll structure may unintentionally encourage overtourism on standard weekends. With no incentives to travel during peak holiday periods, more families might seek to travel on less busy weekends, causing alternative bottlenecks and possibly neglecting other local tourist spots.
To mitigate these issues, the Ministry has proposed enhancing the "Touring Pass," which allows travelers to accumulate more points when using highways during weekdays. Officials are encouraging people to venture out during the week rather than solely during holidays. However, critics contend that this initiative may only benefit those with flexible work schedules, ultimately leaving behind a large swath of the workforce who struggle to take time off.
The government’s approach could be viewed as skewed towards large corporations and public employees, who generally find it easier to take leave. A staggering 99.7% of Japanese companies are small and medium-sized enterprises, many of whom have limited flexibility when it comes to vacation policies. This has raised a collective concern about the impact that the removal of holiday discounts will have on family travel plans and local economies.
With the announcement already causing discontent, one can only speculate how the changes will affect future tourism traffic, particularly as the first 3 consecutive holiday period approaches. Travelers have begun preparing for what may be a stressful travel experience without incentives to ease the financial burden and the road congestion already expected.
As April looms, discussions surrounding the new toll framework intensify, with many looking eagerly for further clarification from the Ministry regarding additional support for holiday travelers. With the prospect of reduced travel for families during these traditional holiday periods, the ramifications could extend beyond economics, reshaping leisure habits in the post-pandemic era.
As updates unfold, stakeholders in the tourism and transportation sectors are urged to pay close attention to how these measures affect not just traffic and toll revenues, but the very essence of family travel and the joy of exploring one’s own country during cherished holidays.
