A fuel surcharge that has added more than $140 to the price of a roundtrip ticket from Japan to Hawai'i is contributing to the decline in Japanese arrivals here, tourism officials say.

Preliminary state tourism numbers show that the Japanese visitor count dropped 9.4 percent in 2006 to 1.4 million, following two consecutive years of growth.

When Japan Airlines began charging a fuel surcharge on Feb. 1, 2005, the fee was $48 for a roundtrip flight from Japan to Honolulu. Now the surcharge is $144 per roundtrip flight. Other airlines have surcharges at or about the same amount.

Total taxes and surcharges for a roundtrip flight from Tokyo to Honolulu is $220.30, according to Japan Airlines. That includes the fuel surcharge, the U.S. International Transportation Tax, the Tokyo Airport Departure Tax and other fees.

The surcharge didn't become an issue until last year, said Yujiro Kuwabara, director and general manager of JTB Hawaii. By March 2006 the fuel surcharge had more than tripled.

"One of the big issues is the fuel surcharge," he said.

Gilbert Kimura, director of advertising and public relations for Japan Airlines, said the fuel surcharge will likely be around for a while.

"It's hard to say because it's (based on) the price of oil," he said. "I think it's here to stay for a long time ... unless we find an alternative source of fuel."

Kimura says Japan Airlines is buying more fuel-efficient aircraft to replace "big gas guzzlers."

Kuwabara and other tourism officials say other factors have also contributed to the decline in Japanese arrivals, including more expensive hotel rooms and stronger competition from other destinations. The exchange rate also affects travel.

Kuwabara added that more Japanese are traveling to Europe despite rising fuel surcharges.

Reach Lynda Arakawa at larakawa@honoluluadvertiser.com.