“Airport-type duty-free stores” to enter Tokyo — exempt from consumption tax and tobacco/alcohol taxes

▲ Will it be easier to shop if future Tokyo districts also feature “airport-type duty-free stores”? (Photo provided by mika)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

For some people, shopping at airport duty-free stores while abroad is a real delight. And the exciting news is that these “airport-type duty-free stores,” which exempt you from consumption tax, tobacco tax, and alcohol tax, will soon make their debut in Tokyo’s Ginza district.

According to a report by the Asahi Shimbun, Mitsukoshi Department Store’s Ginza branch in Tokyo’s Ginza district plans to launch an “airport-type duty-free store,” with an expected opening in the fall of 2015. The primary goal is to attract foreign tourists. Currently, Japan only has one airport-type duty-free store, located in Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture — this will be the first time such a store is introduced in Tokyo.