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5 Aug, 2013

Japan Tourism agency wants to make food, cosmetics duty-free | The Japan Times

The Japan Tourism Agency will propose adding food and cosmetics to the list of duty-free items for foreign travelers as part of its fiscal 2014 reform plan, agency sources said Sunday.

The proposal is aimed at attracting travelers to mitigate the impact of the first stage of the sales tax hike planned for next April.

According to a survey by the agency, food and cosmetics accounted for two of the three most popular types of Japanese souvenirs in 2012, with 58.2 percent of foreigners buying confectionery, 51.4 percent other food products, alcohol and cigarettes, and 38.5 percent buying cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

Read the rest: Tourism agency wants to make food, cosmetics duty-free | The Japan Times.