(Photo by Shoji Kudaka)
Next time you hit the toll road for a long drive in Okinawa, it might be a little more expensive.
Tolls for Okinawa Expressway will increase starting in April this year, according to West Nippon Expressway Company (NEXCO-WEST). The fee increase is a result of lifting Okinawa Tokubetsu-wari (a special discount for Okinawa), which was first introduced in 1999 and is currently in place to offer a 35.5 percent discount.
Although an official toll table has not been released yet, once this increase takes effect, it will cost an ordinary vehicle 1,610 yen (approx. $11) to drive from Naha (southernmost exit) to Kyoda (northernmost exit near Camp Schwab). This will be an increase of 570 yen from the current toll of 1,040 yen. Likewise, it will cost 1,290 yen between Kita Nakagusuku near Camp Foster and Kyoda, an increase of 460 yen from the current toll of 830 yen.
NEXCO-WEST change is intended to address the low usage of the Electric Toll Collection System (ETC) in Okinawa, which remains at 66 percent as of 2021, about 26 percent lower than the average of the agency’s jurisdiction across Japan. ETC is an electronic transaction system that allows drivers to pay tolls without stopping.
The low usage of ETC is causing traffic jams and some accidents as many vehicles choosing lanes for non-ETC transactions at toll booths, according to NEXCO-WEST.
While the 35.5 percent discount for Okinawa is going to be lifted, discounts for vehicles with ETC will remain (up to 50 percent discount between 6 and 9 a.m., and 5 and 8 p.m., plus a 30% discount between midnight and 4 a.m.).
If you don’t have an ETC unit installed in your vehicle, the new increases may be worth getting one. Installing a toll-reader unit can set you back up to 30,000 yen, so check with your local auto supply shop for more information.
As for ETC payments, JapanETCcard offers a service for SOFA members that allows them to use their U.S.-issued credit card to get an ETC card. The company sends customers monthly bills detailing their ETC charges in English. Find out more at www.japanetccard.com.
