KYOTO (Kyodo) -- The Kyoto city assembly approved Tuesday sharply raising the lodging tax for people staying at hotels and other accommodations in the ancient Japanese capital, with a maximum rate of 10,000 yen ($66.40) for stays costing 100,000 yen or more per person per night.

Until now, the highest tax rate was 1,000 yen for stays costing 50,000 yen or more. The city, heavily impacted by a surge of tourists in recent years, plans to charge the new rates to visiting guests from March 1 next year.

Under a revised ordinance, the rates will be 200 yen for stays costing under 6,000 yen per person per night, 400 yen for 6,000 yen to under 20,000 yen, 1,000 yen for 20,000 yen to under 50,000 yen, 4,000 yen for 50,000 yen to under 100,000 yen, and 10,000 yen for 100,000 yen or more.

The changes are expected to increase Kyoto's lodging tax revenue to about 12.6 billion yen a year from 5.2 billion yen in fiscal 2023.

The city intends to put the revenue toward measures to deal with overtourism and infrastructure development, including disaster prevention measures.