The Tokyo Metropolitan Government on Friday announced it will introduce a hotel tax of up to 200 yen per head for each overnight stay at a hotel or other lodging facility in the nation's capital.

"The tax will be used solely for programs designed to promote Tokyo as an international tourist destination, and we have obtained understanding from the hotel industries for that reason," said Gov. Shintaro Ishihara during a regular news conference.

Metro government officials said they estimate the tax will bring in 1.5 billion yen annually, and the revenue will be used for such programs as making lodging facilities barrier-free and publishing guide books for foreign visitors.

While the officials said they wanted to submit the tax bill to the next regular metropolitan assembly session, which begins in early December, a specific date was not made clear.

Ishihara said he saw the finals of the World Cup soccer tournament as a favorable time to introduce the tax, but the officials expressed caution, citing concern from the event's organizers.

According to the plan, visitors who spend a night in a hotel or other lodging facility in Tokyo will be charged 100 yen per night for rooms that cost 10,000 yen or more. Those who stay in rooms that cost 15,000 yen and over will be charged 200 yen. For hotels that include meal services in their nightly rates, the food fee will be subtracted to determine the taxable amount.

Ishihara explained that the metropolitan government set up a minimum taxable threshold to avoid affecting people who stay at cheaper hotels.

According to the officials, of the 2,246 hotels and other lodging establishments in Tokyo, 120 facilities are likely to be subject to the new tax.

"We cannot say anything at this moment, because we haven't heard anything from the metro government yet," said Teruo Ogura, managing director of the Japan Hotel Association.

The association, which has 35 mostly upscale Tokyo hotels as members, is likely to be affected the most by the tax.

"Once the metro government has decided, we have no choice but to discuss appropriate measures," Ogura said. "But I want the government make sure there should be no confusion among visitors."