Quick answer: None

Terminology refresh: there is a difference between a "stopover" and a "layover". A stopover is a scheduled stop at a intermediate city enroute to your destination e.g. if you are flying KUL-NRT-<stay 2 days in Tokyo>-LAX. In this case the tax (called the Passenger Service Facility Charge or PSFC in NRT) will already be inbuilt into your ticket fare.

A layover, on the other hand, is when you connect in NRT but are not staying more than 24 hours e.g. KUL-NRT-LAX with a 5 hour wait in NRT for the connecting flight to LAX. A layover is defined as any connecting segment than is < than 24 hours. No tax is collected and no tax will be collected.

Long time ago, NRT used to collect the PSFC at the airport. You had to buy a coupon at the airport at departure much like how it used to be at BKK. That went away I think in the mid-to-late 1990s.

Lots of people do what you're planning to do but you'll still need a visa or the ability to enter Japan without a visa. I've done this a couple of times to meet family/friends while in transit; I'll take the train to Narita City, have lunch (they are famous for their unagi) and then go back to the airport. Be careful though that immigration may have lines (I set aside 1 hour for this just in case). Technically though you *don't* need a visa for Japan if you are staying < 24 hours because immigration can give you something that's called a "shore pass". My dad missed a connecting flight once and the airline put him up in a hotel and he didn't need a visa. Neither do the Chinese travelers in transit from China through NRT to elsewhere who stay the night while in transit need visas. But to get this, you must have a good reason I guess. To be sure, get a visa.

Great info man... I didn't know such things existed. 

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Added on June 3, 2010, 8:35 amThe life-sized Gundam statue is back... in Shizuoka.
http://www.japantoday.com/category/nationa...oot-in-shizuoka

This time with a beam saber~~~ who wanna go visit Shizuoka when it's done?

LOL ... still here... just busy. 
In the first page there's some reviews by heterosapien on some nice ryokans and hotel which he tried while he was here among other links.
Also, here's some additional links that might be of interest to you... they should fit your budget.

http://www.toyoko-inn.com/eng/hotellist.html
http://www.superhotel.co.jp/en/index.html

You can also do a search on Rakuten and see if you can find any that fits your liking.
http://travel.rakuten.co.jp/en/

Hope this helps.

To my knowledge, you do not need any hotel confirmation to be submitted. You just need to have an simple itinerary list for the number of days you'll be in Japan and in that itinerary; just list the name of the Hotel and contact number which you plan to stay in.

I don't know much about visa requirements but I do know something about hotels. With most major international hotel chains (e.g hilton.com), you can book a stay with a credit card and then cancel later. You have to read the terms and conditions i.e. for heaven's sake don't book a prepaid/nonrefundable rate. The hotel will put a "credit hold" on your credit balance though - roughly equivalent to a night's stay. So you book, print reservation for documentation and then cancel when you no longer need it - the credit hold should disappear in a couple days time.

You can do above for the say, Hilton Tokyo in Shinjuku.

Japan, though, is pretty unique. Most Japanese hotels - you make a reservation by calling them and they take your word that you will show up. No credit card needed to guarantee reservation. In Japan, people still pretty honest and stick to their word.

I'm going to Osaka 20th-28th June. any place to recommend? going to Mt Fuji hot spring too.

In shinjuku or also every where, 'japanese' not like Malaysian...happening huhuhu!
Aiyaaa bro...currently I have to take 'on leave' lor ...huwaaaaaaaaa

RM2.5k for a return tix is on the "expensive" side I think... I usually pay no more than RM2k.
If I fly using ANA via SG and then back to KL via AirAsia; it is sometimes even cheaper.

Haneda are closed to SHinjuku if compare to Narita.

From Haneda Take Train to Shinjuku:
-From Haneda Terminal to Keiyu-Kamata Station Then Change another company Train [ Keiyu Line ] to Shinagawa Station Then Change to Yamanote Line to Shin