Trump Attends RNC Opening Night

Above, former President Donald Trump with Tucker Carlson (left) and Sen. J. D. Vance. Screenshot by Armand Vaquer.

Last night, I watched the opening night of the Republican National Convention. This brought back memories as I attended three of them as a member of the California Reagan Delegations.

Former President Donald Trump attended the convention with a bandage on his right ear. He sat with his Vice Presidential running mate Sen. J. D. Vance and Tucker Carlson among others.

From The Japan Times:

Former U.S. President Donald Trump made his first public appearance in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, since an assassination attempt — with a large white bandage covering the right ear that a bullet pierced — as Republicans gathered to nominate him as their presidential nominee for the third time in the last eight years.

Trump entered Fiserv Forum on Monday to a standing ovation that lasted several minutes, during the Republican National Committee’s convention.

He walked to a box near his family and stood next to U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, whom he tapped earlier in the day as his 2024 running mate.

To read more, go here. 

Yen Intervention Suspected

When the Japanese yen sunk to ¥160 per dollar on Monday, it suddenly went up to ¥154. Analysts think the government intervened. But nobody's saying anything.

From The Japan Times:

After months of warnings that they might intervene in the currency market, Japan's finance authorities appeared to have finally made a move on Monday to curb the pace of the yen’s weakening against the U.S. dollar.

The Japanese currency plunged past the ¥160 mark to hit a fresh 34-year low that day, but subsequently jumped back up to the ¥154 level. As of Tuesday evening, it was near the ¥157 level.

Later Monday, Japan's top currency diplomat Masato Kanda declined to comment on whether the government had taken action. He also refused to comment on Tuesday, but told reporters that the Finance Ministry is ready "24 hours" a day to take action.

To read more, go here.

Japanese Yen Slides To ¥160 Then Rebounds

The Japanese yen slid to ¥160 on Monday, but rebounded back.

The Japan Times reported:

The yen swung in holiday-thinned market conditions, punching through ¥160 per dollar to touch its weakest in 34 years before erasing all its losses for the day and rebounding strongly.

The Japanese currency dropped to ¥160.245 per dollar on Monday before heading into the other direction to ¥155.01. Trade sources said Japanese banks were seen selling dollars for yen.

To read more, go here. 

Yen Inching Closer To Intervention

The weak yen may be great for American tourists, but it is not healthy for the Japanese economy as a whole.

The current exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the Japanese yen is about ¥155. 

The Japan Times reported that the yen is inching closer to intervention:

Yen traders are bracing themselves for a redux of September 2022, when Japan intervened in the market to prop up the ailing currency in the wake of a central bank decision that reaffirmed accommodative monetary policy.

With the yen already much weaker than it was then, and U.S. interest rates unlikely to come down anytime soon, the mere lack of any hawkish comments from Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda on Friday may be enough to push the currency toward a possible inflection point. Based on an analysis of comments from the Masato Kanda, the top currency official at the Finance Ministry, ¥157.60 versus the dollar is one key level to watch.

There has been no sign yet of yen purchases by the ministry, even as the currency continues its slide and on Wednesday trading in London broke beyond ¥155 per dollar for the first time in more than three decades. But the situation could change very quickly, with a host of potential triggers for a sharp drop in the yen and action from authorities in Tokyo.

To read more, go here. 

Japan Hotel Prices Near 30-Year High

Above, the Dormy Inn in Niigata. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The United States isn't the only country with inflation problems.

In Japan, the weak yen is fueling the highest hotel prices in 30 years along with record numbers of foreign visitors. This amounts to a two-edged sword.

According to The Japan Times:

Hotel prices in Japan soared to a near three-decade high in March, as the cheap yen and the cherry blossom season attracted a record number of tourists to the country.

The average daily room rate for March was about ¥20,986 ($136), the highest level since August 1997 and a nearly 20% increase from the same period last year, according to CoStar Group. The average hotel occupancy rate also increased to 78%.

A record 3.1 million people visited Japan in March. The yen is hovering at a 34-year low against the dollar, making the country an attractive destination for inbound tourists. The tourism boom has been led by arrivals from South Korea, Taiwan and China in the midst of the cherry blossom season, which traditionally draws in visitors.

 To read more, go here.

Japan Announces Measures To Combat Overtourism

Above, Kyoto's Kinkakuji "Golden Pavilion". Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since the pandemic ended, Japan has been coping with overtourism, particularly in popular cities of Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto.

The hiking of the prices of JR Rail Passes may contribute to the lowering of numbers of foreign tourists to places outside of Tokyo. 

According to TravelPulse:

Japan’s tourism ministry outlined its new plans to combat overtourism this week, ranging from strengthening transportation systems in large cities like Tokyo to encouraging a greater spread of tourism to lesser-known destinations. 

According to The Japan Times, a large part of the program is expanding bus and taxi fleets in popular areas, especially during heavy tourist seasons. Direct bus routes to popular destinations from major stations that are designed specifically for tourist use are also being considered.

The tourism ministry will also consider ways to encourage a wider spread of travelers to lesser known areas to direct traffic away from Tokyo, Kyoto and other popular destinations. 

While the country has nearly reached its pre-pandemic level of visitor totals, the majority of these travelers tend to concentrate in popular destinations like Tokyo, Osaka or Kyoto, leading to overcrowding in these cities. 

To read more, go here. 

Toy Sales In Japan Top ¥1 Trillion

Above, an Asakusa toy store in Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Buying toys in Japan is one of those pastimes that many foreign visitors indulge in. 

I and many others in Godzilla/kaiju fandom collect Japanese toys of their favorite monsters in the U.S. in stores that specialize in them or at conventions such as the annual G-FEST conventions. The biggest draw at G-FEST, for example, is the dealers room where toys of every size and description can be found. Most dealers price them reasonably. 

Above, I got this 1968 Godzilla toy during my 2015 Japan trip in Asakusa. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Those same toys are available in Japan at considerably lower prices. One popular stop for foreign visitors is Mandarake in the Nakano section of Tokyo. I found some good deals there over the years.

Since Japan has reopened to foreign visitors, toy sales there have skyrocketed. It it likely due to pent-up demand from the pandemic closure of the country. According to an article in The Japan Times, toy sales in Japan topped ¥1 trillion for the first time. 

They wrote:

Japan's toy market topped ¥1 trillion ($7 billion) for the first time in the financial year that ended in March, driven in part by solid demand for goods of anime characters and franchises like Pokemon from foreign tourists, an industry body said Thursday.

Sales of card games, stuffed toys, model vehicles and other types of toys totaled ¥952.5 billion, up 6.7% from a year earlier, according to the Japan Toy Association.

Sales of "capsule toys," or miniature toys sold in plastic capsules from vending machines, amounted to ¥61 billion, up 35.6%.

To read more, go here. 

Japan Hotel Visitors Top 10 Million

Above, the Tokyo Skytree and Asahi Beer Hall. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Foreign visitation to Japan is inching up to pre-pandemic levels if the following is any indication.

From The Japan Times:

The number of foreign nationals who stayed at hotels and other accommodation facilities in Japan topped 10 million in April for the first time since January 2020, government data showed Wednesday, buoyed by a weaker yen and an increase in the number of international flights.

The figure rose more than nineteenfold from a year before to 10.38 million, equivalent to 92% of the total in April 2019 before the coronavirus outbreak, according to the preliminary data released by the Japan Tourism Agency.

To read more, go here. 

Japan Dropping COVID Border Measures Saturday

Above, a yakatabune (屋形船) party boat on the Sumida River in Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japan has moved up the dropping of COVID border measures from May 8 to this coming Saturday.

According to the Japan Times:

Starting on Saturday, passengers arriving in Japan will no longer be required to submit proof of vaccination or negative test results, according to media reports, as the country braces for an influx of travelers during the Golden Week holidays.

Currently, all incoming passengers — including Japanese nationals and foreign residents — are required to present proof that they have received at least three COVID-19 vaccine shots or have tested negative for the virus within 72 hours before departure.

The government had previously said it planned to end the border measures on May 8, when the category for COVID-19 under the Infectious Disease Law will be downgraded from one similar to Class 2 to Class 5, which is on par with seasonal influenza.

To read more, go here. 

Steep Price Increases For Japan Rail Passes Planned

Above, a couple of JR Rail Passes I used. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Japan Rail Pass available to foreign tourists is one great benefit that I and many others visiting Japan have taken advantage of.

It allows visitors to travel around Japan on JR rail lines, including bullet trains, and other affiliated transports at lower cost.

Visitors are able to save a lot of money using the rail pass.

But all that may change this coming October if plans to greatly hike the prices of the rail passes go through. Hardly a "welcome back" for foreign tourists after three years of pandemic closures.

The price increases will greatly affect tour packages as the cost of rail passes are added into the cost of tours. 

If I should go back to Japan, I will likely pass on the Rail Pass if the prices are drastically raised.

The Japan Times reported (some snippets):

Tourists planning to take advantage of Japan’s train network could face a more expensive rail pass starting this fall.

Japan Railway Group announced on April 14 that it intends to raise the cost of its Japan Rail Pass this October.

The pass is a popular purchase for sightseers without Japanese passports and a convenient, discounted way to travel around certain parts of the country via rail, including on some bullet trains.

The change would add an almost 70% average price increase to the flat-fee ordinary and green car tickets. But, according to JR, the price hike will come with expanded services.

While an announcement detailing final changes is planned for a later date, JR has announced that pass-holders will be able to access the Nozomi and Mizuho shinkansen lines — which are currently off-limits with the pass — through the purchase of additional special tickets.

While subject to change, the price hikes for adults have been announced as follows:

• 7-day pass: From ¥29,650 to ¥50,000.
• 14-day pass: From ¥47,250 to ¥80,000.
• 21-day pass: From ¥60,450 to ¥100,000.
• 7-day Green Car pass: ¥39,600 to ¥70,000
• 14-day Green Car pass: ¥64,120 to ¥110,000
• 21-day Green Car pass: ¥83,390 to ¥140,000

To read the full article, go here.

March Foreign Entries To Japan Number 1.8 Million

Above, the Godzilla mural at Toho Studios in Setagaya. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Incoming foreign tourist numbers to Japan has reached around 65% of pre-pandemic levels in March. Much of it was due to cherry blossom season.

According to the Japan Times:

Japan saw an estimated 1,817,500 foreign visitors in March, equivalent to 65.8% of the level seen in March 2019 before the coronavirus pandemic, government data showed Wednesday.

The total was the highest since the country lifted its pandemic-prompted ban on individual, non-prearranged trips last October, it said.

To read more, go here. 

Japan Also Hit By Heavy Snows

Above, the street in front of my Tokyo hotel in 2014. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The United States wasn't the only country to be hit by powerful winter snowstorms this past weekend.

Many parts of Japan has also been hard hit by snowstorms that killed 17 people and injured over 90. 

The U.S. storm(s) have left holiday travelers stranded and flights were either cancelled or delayed. Many flights in Japan were also cancelled or delayed.

When I hear about heavy snows in Japan, they remind me of my February 2014 trip to Japan that had me stranded for nearly 24 hours on a commuter train between Narita Airport and Tokyo in Chiba Prefecture. Two big storms hit Japan during my trip, the first one arriving at the same time my flight did,

According to The Japan Times:

Heavy snow blanketed many parts of Japan on Friday, with some western cities renewing records and the weather agency warning of traffic disruptions, blizzard conditions and high waves.

The Meteorological Agency said it expected the rough weather to continue through Monday, moving from the country’s north and east to the west.

Record snowfall was observed in Shikoku, with Kochi registering 14 centimeters and Tokushima 8 cm in the six hours to 10 a.m. 

To read more, go here. 

Almighty Dollar Is Mightier In Japan

Above, the currency exchange window at Narita Airport. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Now is a great time to pack up your bags and head off to Japan.

Thanks to the extremely favorable foreign exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the Japanese yen, a trip there is much more affordable. Americans now can get more bang for their bucks.

According to the Japan Times, the almighty dollar is even mightier these days.

They start off with:

Now that Japan has opened its doors to vaccinated tourists as of Oct. 11, many travelers are going to find great bargains.

The yen has lost about 20% of its value against the dollar this year, making hotels, meals and attractions very affordable for visitors from the United States. At the same time, inflation has been kept mostly under control, although the country is starting to see price increases for the first time in a generation.

After keeping Japan’s border mostly closed to tourists since the start of the pandemic, the island nation is eager for an economic boost, with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida saying he wants these inbound visitors to spend 5 trillion yen ($34.5 billion) annually.

All prices below are converted at the current exchange rate of 144.80 yen a dollar. Travelers may get a worse deal from their bank or credit card provider, in addition to other fees. Prices include sales tax but exclude tips. Tipping isn’t expected anywhere in Japan.

Whenever I travel to Japan, I exchange my dollars for yen at the airport. That would solve the aforementioned "worse deal".

To read more, go here. 

Key Terms To Use At Japanese Hotels

Above, the main entrance to Tokyo's Shiba Park Hotel. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If one is planning a trip to Japan, now that it has been reopened to foreign visitors, there are a few key terms one can use at the Japanese hotel they're staying at.

The following has been presented in an article by the Japan Times.

They start it off with:

KYOTO – 日本へようこそ！ (Nihon e yōkoso, Welcome to Japan!) … or, should we say, Welcome back to Japan!

With borders having just reopened to independent travel, there is bound to be a rush of people who are dying to get back into the country. One thing that unites all these inbound travelers? Hotels.

Beyond the commute from airport to lodging, communications with the staff at ホテル (hoteru, hotels) and 旅館 (ryokan, Japanese inns) are likely to provide your first encounter with the Japanese language.

Even those who’ve been studying the language can sometimes find themselves stumped by the 敬語 (keigo, honorific language) used at such establishments. (Don’t freak out, though, many hotel staff speak languages other than Japanese.) Even if you answer in the affirmative when asked, 日本語でよろしいでしょうか (Nihongo de yoroshii deshō ka?, Are you OK with [using] Japanese?), there may be a few terms that catch you off guard.

To read more, go here. 

Japan Plans To Reopen To Independent Travelers

Above, inside the massive JR Kyoto Station. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It appears the Japanese government is now finally realizing that their rules and restrictions on foreign tourists has been one colossal flop and are about to change course.

The changes may be implemented in October.

According to the Japan Times:

The government is planning to allow independent tourists to come to Japan and exempt them from visas if they have been vaccinated three times or submit a pre-arrival test result, Fuji TV reported Monday. It also intends to abolish the daily arrival cap, which is currently set at 50,000, the report added.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida reportedly plans to make a decision as early as the end of this week, with an eye to implementing the revisions by October.

If the plan goes ahead, it would mark a major shift in Japan’s border restrictions, which have been conservative compared with those of fellow Group of Seven members. Up until now, the government has eased access to the country in baby steps amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The report came after Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiji Kihara told a Fuji TV program on Sunday that Japan will consider easing all three restrictions — the daily arrival cap, restrictions on independent tourists and visa requirements for short-term visitors from countries previously eligible for a waiver — in the “not-so-distant future.”

“Amid the weakening yen, inbound (tourism) will have the greatest effect” on the economy, Kihara said, also noting that fall is famed as being a good time for eating in Japan. “And there are the autumn leaves and powder snow. There are many foreign visitors who want to come visit Japan.”

Last week, the yen fell to a 24-year low of ¥144 to the dollar.

Japan eased its border restrictions last Wednesday, raising the daily arrival cap from 20,000 to 50,000, allowing nonguided tourists to come to Japan and dropping the requirement for pre-arrival PCR testing for vaccinated travelers.

To read more, go here.

Japan's War On The Floppy Disk

Floppy disk. That is a name I haven't heard or thought of in ages. I disposed of mine long ago and use CDs instead.

It is the digital equivalent of 8-track tapes these days.

Apparently in Japan, floppies are still used in some government areas. Their digital minister (is that really an official job or ministry?) has declared "war" on them. 

According to The Japan Times:

Japan’s digital minister, who’s vowed to rid the bureaucracy of outdated tools from the hanko stamp to the fax machine, has now declared “war” on a technology many haven’t seen for decades — the floppy disk.

The hand-sized, square-shaped data storage item, along with similar devices including the CD or even lesser-known mini disk, are still required for some 1,900 government procedures and must go, digital minister Taro Kono wrote in a Twitter post Wednesday.

“We will be reviewing these practices swiftly,” Kono said in a news conference Tuesday, adding that Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has offered his full support. “Where does one even buy a floppy disk these days?”

Who in the U.S. even uses them anymore?

To read more, go here.

Tokyo Falls To Ninth Most Expensive City For Expats

Above, Hotel Asia Center of Japan in Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Thanks to the weakening yen against the U.S. dollar and other currencies, Tokyo has fallen to 9th most expensive city for expats.

The Japan Times reported:

Tokyo has tumbled to ninth on the list of most expensive cities for people working abroad from third in 2021, partly due to the weakening of the yen against the U.S. dollar and other major currencies, according to an annual cost of living survey by a U.S. consulting firm.

The Mercer’s Cost of Living Survey comes as the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, the consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, varying exchange rates and surging prices put a squeeze on pay and savings across the world.

Hong Kong topped the list of the priciest cities in the world, a return to pole position after ceding it to Turkmenistan’s capital Ashgabat in 2021.

Hong Kong was previously named the most expensive city for three consecutive years to 2020.

To read more, go here. 

Ex-PM Shinzo Abe Shot While Campaigning

Above, former PM Shinzo Abe after the shooting. Kyodo News photo.

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot and critically wounded while giving a campaign speech in Nara. Some reports say he is dead.

According to The Japan Times:

Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe — one of the most consequential leaders in Japan’s postwar history — was shot in the chest while he was making a stump speech on a street in the city of Nara on Friday in what appears to be an assassination attempt. He is reportedly in a state of cardiopulmonary arrest.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has described Abe as being in a “serious condition,” and a Nara official has said that the former prime minister is no longer showing vital signs.

Japan has some of the world's most strict gun laws, but things like this do still happen. This only shows how useless gun control actually is. It was reported that the gun used was homemade. Back in 2007, the mayor of Nagasaki was shot and killed at his campaign headquarters. It happened within days of my arrival in Nagasaki.

To read more, go here.

UPDATE:

Business Insider reported:

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has died after being shot on the campaign trail. He was 67.

He was shot around 11:30 a.m. local time Friday while giving a speech in Nara, a western Japanese city 35 kilometers south of Kyoto. 

He was immediately airlifted to Nara Medical University Hospital without vital signs of life, hospital officials told a Friday news conference. Abe had lost a lot of blood, and medics attempted to resuscitate him and give him blood transfusions, the officials said, per The Washington Post.

He was confirmed dead at 5:03 p.m., the hospital said.

To read more, go here. 

Japan To Allow Package Tours Starting June 6

Above, the Godzilla statue at Toho Studios in Setagaya. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The following from the Japan Times may or may not be speculation, but if it is correct, it looks like the planned G-TOUR for this fall qualifies. 

The prime minister is to make the announcement (unless he already has) sometime today.

According to the Japan Times:

The government will allow foreign tourists to enter Japan on package tours from June 6, TV Asahi reported late Wednesday, paving the way for the full resumption of inbound tourism, which has been suspended for more than two years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is expected to make the announcement as early as Thursday.

The expected move comes after Japan began a trial of package tours involving foreign tourists on Tuesday. The visitors need to be vaccinated three times, including a booster shot, to participate in the tours, which each consist of a small number of people.

Japan is currently the only Group of Seven country still refusing to allow the normal entry of foreign tourists.

I do wonder, if this is correct, how many in package tour will they allow in? "Small number", what do they mean by that?

To read more, go here. 

UPDATE:

Tour groups will be allowed into Japan on June 10, it has been announced.

Japan Tops World Tourism Ranking

Above, Tokyo's Kappabashi "Kitchen Town". Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Ironic as it may seem, Japan ranks number one in world tourism ranking, but the country is closed off (with few exceptions) to foreign tourism.

The Japan Times reported:

DAVOS, SWITZERLAND – Japan on Tuesday came out ranking highest on a list of destinations in a 2021 travel and tourism development report by the World Economic Forum, despite the country being closed to foreign tourists due to restrictions against the coronavirus.

Topping the list for the first time, Japan ranked highly for its cultural resources and in several infrastructure categories, with the United States ranked second and Spain third.

Japan ranked fourth overall in the biennial report for air transport infrastructure and cultural resources, sixth for ground and port infrastructure, and 12th for natural resources. But it ranked low for its response to climate change, coming in 107th place.

To read more, go here.