Survey Asks Foreign Tourists What Bothered Them In Japan

Above, a view of Tokyo Tower from Tokyo City View in Roppongi. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japan's tourism boom isn't showing any signs of abating. Foreign travelers are still flocking to the Land of the Rising Sun in droves.

That doesn't mean that there aren't a few things that those travelers find bothersome.

A survey found some interesting responses. SoraNews24 posted the results.

They begin with:

Japan’s unprecedented inbound international travel boom isn’t showing any signs of slowing down, and it’s been going on long enough that it’s clear tourists are really enjoying themselves during their time in the country. But no travel destination is perfect, and so the Japan Tourism Agency, part of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, has been conducting interviews with foreign travelers as they finish up their journeys in Japan to see what kind of problems they encountered.

Between July and December of 2024 the agency interviewed 4,189 foreign travelers prior to their departures from Narita, Haneda, Kansai, Fukuoka, and New Chitose Airports, Japan’s largest international air gateways. When asked what sort of things had bothered, troubled, or annoyed them during their trip, 6.1 percent said they’d had difficulty finding free Wi-Fi and public Internet service, and 8.6 percent had complaints about immigration processing upon their arrival in Japan, with how long it took for them to go through the process after landing being the primary problem.

To read more, go here. 

Phishing Scam Victimized Over 100 Japanese Hotels

Above, the front desk of an Atami ryokan. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Over 100 Japanese hotels have fallen victim to a phishing scam involving Booking.com.

Kyodo News reported:

TOKYO - Over 100 hotels in Japan have fallen victim to email scams that try to steal customers' credit card information using accommodation reservation site Booking.com, a Kyodo News tally found Saturday.

Some of the hotels said their customers lost money after the fraudsters stole their card details. The Japan Tourism Agency has instructed Booking.com Japan K.K., the Japanese unit of the major lodging booking site operator, to conduct a full investigation.

Booking.com Japan declined to comment on the financial damage. 

The phishing scams come as similar cases are reported worldwide, and Japan sees a return to booming tourism levels after COVID-19 border restrictions were lifted.

With the help of anonymous cybersecurity specialist Piyokango, the Kyodo News count found that as of March 26, some 118 accommodation businesses in at least 21 prefectures have been affected since June last year.

Fraudsters send emails to Japanese hotels to access their Booking.com management system. The email contains a link, which infects a computer once clicked.

Personally, whenever I have traveled to Japan, I book rooms directly with the hotels. 

To read the full article, go here.

Japan Picks 20 Areas As Models For Addressing Overtourism

Above, Nakamise Street in Asakusa, Tokyo is one model area selected. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It is a bit weird that after many years of clamoring for more tourists to come to Japan, now that they have more tourists, they're complaining about overtourism.

The Japan Tourism Agency has selected 20 sites they say are "suffering" from overtouism. These sites will be "models" for dealing with the problem.

According to Nippon.com:

Tokyo, March 27 (Jiji Press)--The Japan Tourism Agency on Tuesday selected 20 areas to implement model projects aimed at addressing challenges related to overtourism, or a surge in tourists that negatively impacts the lives of local residents and the natural environment.

In the 20 areas, local government officials and residents will draw up plans in fiscal 2024, which starts on Monday, to ease traffic congestion and raise awareness about tourist manners.

The areas include Niseko in the northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido, Tokyo’s Asakusa and Iriomote Island, a UNESCO World Heritage site in the southernmost prefecture of Okinawa.

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 Tourism Agency Urging Japanese People To Travel Abroad

Above, Narita Airport Arrival Lobby. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Foreign nationals are coming to Japan in higher numbers than Japanese traveling abroad.

The Japan Tourism Agency is trying to correct this. They, along with the Japan Association of Travel Agents, are urging people to travel abroad.

Kyodo News reported:

The Japan Tourism Agency and the Japan Association of Travel Agents on Wednesday urged people to take trips abroad in a bid to boost the airline and tourism industry, as demand for international travel struggles to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

While the number of visitors to Japan has grown steadily since border restrictions were eased last year, infection concerns and the weak yen are believed to be putting Japanese nationals off traveling abroad.

The number of Japanese people who left the country in March totaled 694,300, just 36.0 percent compared to March 2019 before the pandemic, according to government data.

Foreign arrivals to Japan, in contrast, have recovered to 65.8 percent of the level in March 2019.

To read more, go here. 

Visitor Spending In Japan Jumped Sevenfold In 2022

Above, Tokyo's Nakamise Street shopping area in Asakusa. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since the restrictions of the pandemic have been lifted in Japan last October, tourists coming into the country have aided the economy with their spending.

Japan Today has posted that spending by foreign visitors in Japan has increased sevenfold in 2022.

They wrote:

TOKYO - Spending by foreign visitors to Japan in 2022 grew sharply from the year before to 898.7 billion yen as arrivals began increasing from October when border restrictions, initially imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic, were eased, according to a government survey.

The figure was 7.4 times higher than the 120.8 billion yen spent in 2021, the lowest amount recorded since comparable data became available in 2010, but still down 81.3 percent from the 4.8 trillion yen recorded in 2019, the highest spending ever by overseas travelers.

According to the Japan Tourism Agency survey, the average expenditure per person was 234,524 yen, a 47.9 percent increase from 2019.

The government on Friday announced a basic plan to promote tourism in the country. Without setting a specific time limit, the aim is for 5 trillion yen in annual expenditures by foreign arrivals.

To read more, go here. 

Only 1,500 Foreign Tourists Visit Japan

Above, Godzilla in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japan's method of reopening to foreign tourists turned out to be a dud. Only 1,500 foreign tourists showed up in the month since reopening.

The time-consuming process of getting a visa and joining an organized group tour along with having negative PCR test results are cited as the reasons.

According to NHK World:

Japan's Immigration Services Agency says only about 1,500 foreign tourists entered Japan in the month since the country re-opened to sightseers on June 10.

Japan was effectively closed to foreign tourism for over two years due to the pandemic. Last month, visitors from 98 countries and territories were allowed back in.

The agency says during the month up to July 10, around 484,000 people entered the country in total. The figure translates to 12,000 per day, or about 60 percent of the upper limit of 20,000 that had been set by the government.

Sixty percent of them were Japanese citizens, and most of the foreign nationals who entered the country were business travelers or students. Only about 1,500 of the foreign entrants came for sightseeing.

To read more, go here. 

Japan Reopens To Package Foreign Tourism

Above, a Mothra mural at Toho Studios in Setagaya. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Today's the day that Japan begins welcoming foreign tourists into the country. Tourists have to enter with organized tourist groups, no individual tourism is allowed.

But, in order to do so, tourists have to wear masks, have insurance and have a visa, which can take weeks to obtain. Thanks to the visa requirement, it will likely take a few weeks before Japan sees tourist groups roaming around.

Fox 31 Denver reports (some snippets):

TOKYO (AP) — Japan on Friday eased its borders for foreign tourists and began accepting visa applications, but only for those on guided package tours who are willing to follow mask-wearing and other antivirus measures as the country cautiously tries to balance business and infection worries.

Friday is the first day to start procedures needed for the entry and arrivals are not expected until late June at the earliest, even though airport immigration and quarantine offices stood by for any possible arrivals.

The Japan Tourism Agency says tours are being accepted from 98 countries and regions, including the United States, Britain, China, South Korea, Thailand and Singapore, which are deemed as having low infection risks.

After facing criticism that its strict border controls were xenophobic, Japan began easing restrictions earlier this year. On June 1, it doubled its cap on daily entries to 20,000 people a day, including Japanese citizens, foreign students and some business travelers.

The daily limit will include the package tour participants for the time being, and officials say it will take some time before foreign visitors can come to Japan for free, individual tourism.

It’s unclear how popular the package tours options will be with foreign tourists, most of whom have to apply for tourist visas that can take weeks to obtain. But the yen is trading at 20-year lows against the U.S. dollar and weak against other major currencies, which would make traveling in the high-cost country something of a bargain.

To read the full article, go here. 

Some Japanese Locals Not Ready For Reopened Borders

Above, crowds on Kyoto's Kiyomizu-dera stage was common before the pandemic. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japan is looking towards reopening its borders to foreign tourism next month.

However, some locals in Japan are not ready for reopened borders and prefer to keep things the way they are.

According to CNBC:

As countries across Asia reopen to international travelers, Japan — one of the continent’s most popular destinations — remains firmly closed.

That may soon change. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced Thursday at a news conference in London that Japan will ease border controls in June.

Locals often celebrate the easing of pandemic-related border restrictions, but some in Japan say they are fine with keeping measures in place.

Japan welcomed nearly 32 million international visitors in 2019 — up from just 6.8 million just ten years prior, according to Japan Tourism Agency.

The rapid increase in tourists caused major draws, such as the culturally rich city of Kyoto, to struggle with over-tourism.

Residents in Kyoto are now saying that “silence is back,” said Miyamoto, who recounted instances where foreign tourists spoke loudly and were discourteous to locals.

Similarly, Lee said that “a lot of people who were quite upset about over-tourism in Kyoto” are now saying “it feels like how Kyoto was 20 years ago — the good old Kyoto.”

To read more, go here.

Record Low 1,700 Foreign Visitors Came To Japan In May

Above, Toho Studios in Setagaya. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Before the pandemic, Japan was receiving around 20 million foreign visitors annually. 

However, the coronavirus put a major crimp in Japan's tourism industry.

According to the Japan Times:

Japan received an estimated 1,700 foreign travelers in May, an all-time low for the second consecutive month, amid the coronavirus pandemic, government data showed Wednesday. 

The number, down 99.9 percent from a year earlier and compared with 2,900 in April, is the lowest since 1964, when the government began compiling such statistics, according to the Japan Tourism Agency. 

It is the eighth consecutive monthly decline, as travel restrictions were imposed globally amid the spread of the virus, according to the preliminary data.

To read more, go here. 

Foreign Tourists: No, Japan Will Not Pay For Half Your Travel Costs

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

It had been reported in the media (including in this, your faithful, blog) that Japan was planning to entice tourists by offering to pay for half of their expense. 

I did question how Japan was going to do it and wondered about the details.

It turns out that there is no such plan in the works.

According to Forbes:

Last week, media reports quoted Hiroshi Tabata, the head of Japan’s tourism agency, as saying that they aimed to launch the Go To Travel campaign after COVID-19 was brought under control, in July at the earliest. 

According a budget document released by Japan’s economy ministry, the proposed plan would dole out travel vouchers toward lodging and dining, up to a maximum of 20,000 yen per person, per stay. That’s the equivalent of $185 US per person. 

“Currently, this means initiatives such as this will be aimed at people living in Japan only, and not overseas visitors. Support will be offered to cover a proportion of domestic travel expenses,” a spokesperson for the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) in London told the UK’s Independent newspaper. 

The original statement was quickly corrected to clarify that the proposed campaign would only cover a portion of travel costs for domestic travelers, but it was too late to stop the story from going viral. 

Numerous outlets around the world — from the UK’s Mirror to India’s News18 and many U.S. lifestyle sites and blogs — had already hastily picked up the story without the correction, which led to confusion.

This is one blogger who didn't "hastily" pick up the story. The story was out for at least a couple of days before I said anything. The original story wasn't corrected "quickly" enough to stop the story from going viral.

Oh, well, tough luck, folks! Enjoy the Godzilla mural photo anyway since we can't go there yet (even if it is 100% on our dime).

To read more, go here.

Japan Wants To Pay You To Visit

Above, a nighttime view of the Tokyo Skytree. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It would be nice to travel to a foreign country and have half of a traveler's expenses paid for by that country.

According to an article in Forbes, Japan is planning such a move.

The problem is: the details have yet to be worked out on how they're going to do it. One could use the old cliché: The devil is in the details. But we don't know what they are.

According to Forbes:

Last month, the Italian island of Sicily announced that it will pay a portion of travelers’ post-coronavirus trip costs by covering half of airline tickets plus one out of every three hotel nights. Now Japan is feeling generous, too, and hoping to fill its currently empty ryokans, bullet trains and sushi restaurants with travelers from around the globe. According to the Japan Times, the head of the Japan Tourism Agency announced this week that the government has created a plan to attract foreign travelers back to the tourism-depleted country by offering to subsidizing half of their travel expenses.

This enticing new program will cost Japan a cool $12.5 billion. And while there aren’t any details about how it will work or whether there will be expense limits, the initiative could start as soon as July 2020, depending on when travel restrictions for foreign visitors ease up.

Sounds interesting. It will be even more interesting to see how the proposed plan will work if Japan goes through with it.

Stay tuned!

To read more, go here.

Foreign Visitors To Japan Rises 7.5% In January

Above, a restaurant sign in Osaka's Dotonbori. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

2019 is starting off to be pretty good for the Japanese tourism industry as foreign visitors to Japan in January topped the previous year.

According to Nikkei Asian Review:

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The estimated number of monthly foreign visitors to Japan increased 7.5 percent in January from a year earlier to a record 2,689,400, the Japan Tourism Agency said Wednesday.

To read more, go here. 

Japan's Visitors Spent Record ¥4.51 Trillion In 2018

Above, shoppers in Tokyo's Ginza shopping district. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Along with having record numbers of foreign visitors, Japan is reaping the benefits from those visitors economically.

The Japan Times reported:

Foreign tourists spent a record-high ¥4.51 trillion ($41.5 billion) in Japan in 2018 as the tourism boom continued in the country, government data showed Wednesday. 

Spending by foreign visitors increased for the seventh consecutive year. Average spending per person stood at ¥153,000, the Japan Tourism Agency said in a preliminary report. 

The number of foreign visitors to the country reached a record 31.19 million last year, up 8.7 percent from 2017, the agency also said.

To read more, go here. 

Japan Surveying "Overtourism"

Above, Kyoto's Kinkaku-ji "Golden Pavilion". Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japan's campaign to boost tourism numbers is working. The numbers of foreign tourists have doubled over the past few years.

But this has caused some problems with local citizenry in such places as Kyoto and Kamakura with tourist overcrowding.

The Japanese government is conducting a survey on "tourist pollution".

The Japan Times reported:

Japan is launching its first survey on “overtourism,” or the phenomenon of a popular destination becoming overrun with tourists in an unsustainable way, to counter nuisances such as noise and congestion that disrupt local residents’ lives, according to officials. 

The Japan Tourism Agency aims to compile a report by the end of March based on a survey of municipalities with major tourists spots, and to explore ways to foster environments where tourism can coexist with residents’ lives amid a surge in foreign visitors to the country. 

The agency has already sent questionnaires to around 50 local governments and will start a further survey of another 150 or so before the end of October. 

Tourism-related problems occur during peak seasons at popular sites such as the ancient cities of Kyoto and Kamakura, with commuter traffic affected by severe congestion on trains and buses.

To read more, go here. 

Visitor Numbers To Japan Up 15.6% In 1st Half of 2018

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

The numbers of foreign visitors to Japan are increasing year-by-year. 2018 is continuing with that trend.

The Mainichi reported:

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The estimated number of foreign visitors to Japan in January to June rose 15.6 percent from a year earlier to 15.89 million, a record for the six-month period, the Japan Tourism Agency said Wednesday. 

If the pace of increase is maintained, the annual figure will top 30 million for the first time. The government aims to attract 40 million foreign visitors in 2020 when Tokyo hosts the Olympics and Paralympics.

To read more, go here.

2.6 Million Foreign Visitors To Japan In May

Above, a statue in Asakusa. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The number of foreign visitors to Japan soared last month.

The Mainichi Daily News reported:

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The estimated number of foreign visitors to Japan in May soared 16.6 percent from a year earlier to 2,675,000, a record for the month, the Japan Tourism Agency said Wednesday.

To read more, go here. 

Foreign Visitors To Japan Tops 10 Million In January-April

Above, the Saikai Bridge in Kyushu. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

More visitors are heading into Japan at a faster pace.

The Mainichi Daily News reported:

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The estimated number of foreign visitors to Japan from January to April topped 10 million, reaching that level at the fastest pace on record, the Japan Tourism Agency said Thursday.

With the latest data, the annual number of overseas visitors to the country has now reached 10,519,300, up 15.4 percent from a year earlier and exceeding 10 million for the sixth straight year, the agency said. The previous record pace was set from January to May last year.

To read more, go here.

Japan Sees 9% Increase In Tourists In January

Above, Kinkaku-ji in Kyoto. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

January saw an increase in foreign visitors over the same time last year.

The Japan Times reported:

The estimated number of foreign visitors for January rose 9 percent from a year earlier to 2,501,500, a record for the month, the Japan Tourism Agency said Wednesday. 

But the growth rate was the slowest since last March partly because the Lunar New Year, a major holiday season celebrated in China and elsewhere, which began later this year. The holiday period started in late January a year ago.

To read more, go here. 

Japan Seeks More European Visitors

Above, Hibiya's Godzilla statue. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This blog attracts many viewers from European countries and many of them are also kaiju fans. 

However, as a percentage of foreign visitors to Japan, the numbers are relatively small. The Japan Tourism Agency is trying to rectify that.

According to Deutsche Welle:

On February 2, the Japan Tourism Agency launched the "Enjoy My Japan" global tourism campaign with a series of videos showcasing some of the nation's top tourist attractions in a variety of languages. Much of the effort is concentrated on bringing in more European visitors.  

The videos ranged from traditional temples and unique cuisine to diving in Okinawa, art installations in Kagawa Prefecture, "onsen" hot springs and performances of "noh" theater. 

According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, there were 28.7 million foreign visitors to Japan in 2017, a remarkable 500 percent increase on the 4.76 million arrivals as recently as the year 2000. 

Of that total, however, 85 percent are from other parts of Asia - primarily China, Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan – and are visitors who only stay a short time, typically four or five days. 

While arrivals in Japan were up more than 40 percent from South Korea and more than 21 percent from Hong Kong in 2017, visitors from Germany were up a mere 6.7 percent and 6.2 percent from the UK.

To read more, go here.