Japan is planning to introduce a dual-pricing system at national museums by March 2031, the culture agency said Thursday, in a move that aims to make the most out of tourism revenue.

Under the two-tier pricing system, foreign visitors will be charged more for admission to state-run museums. The extra revenue will go toward improving the viewing experience for tourists, such as by expanding multilingual exhibits and audio guides.

The initiative is part of the agency¡¯s five-year midterm plan to improve the operation and financing of national museums.

¡°Securing sufficient self-generated revenue is considered a key challenge for the sustainable operation of national art museums in the future,¡± the plan said, adding that museums should be less reliant on government subsidies.

Dual-pricing systems are common at museums around the world. At the Louvre Museum in Paris, tickets cost €32 ($37) for foreign visitors, while French nationals and citizens of member states of the European Economic Area pay €22 for entry.

In Japan, this would mark the first time a two-tier pricing system is introduced at national museums. The price hike will target nonresidents, meaning the price hike will not apply to foreign nationals residing in the country.

While no clear date has been set, the government is looking to adopt the new pricing system by the end of fiscal 2030. It will target a total of 12 national museums, including the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, and the National Museum of Western Art. At both museums, tickets for the permanent collection cost ?500 ($3.20) for adults while those for special exhibitions are priced around ?2,000.

While foreign visitor numbers at any given museum will vary, tourists make up a significant enough portion to make the price hikes effective at increasing overall revenue, the culture agency said.

One challenge in implementing the dual-pricing system is the need for an extra step in the admission process to distinguish residents from nonresidents, which will require additional personnel and systems to ensure smooth operations.

Agency officials are also mindful of how the price hike might affect the number of foreign tourists that visit the facilities.

As tourism booms in Japan, various facilities and services have begun introducing dual-pricing systems. Starting March 1, Himeji Castle in Hyogo Prefecture began charging Himeji residents ?1,000 for entry while out-of-city visitors are charged ?2,500. Previously, admission was ?1,000 for all visitors over the age of 18.

The total number of foreign tourists to Japan in 2025 was a record 42.7 million, and the government is aiming to increase that number to 60 million by 2030.