More foreigners visit Japan than ever before...Korean visitors dominate

According to the JoongAng Ilbo...

A survey revealed that the number of foreigners who visited Japan between January and November this year has already surpassed the previous annual record.

According to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) on the 18th, the number of foreigners who visited Japan as of November this year was 33.38 million. This surpasses the previous record of 31.88 million in 2019, before the COVID-19 outbreak. Among foreigners visiting Japan, the largest number were visitors from South Korea at 7.95 million (23.8%). They were followed by visitors from China (6.38 million), Taiwan (5.55 million), the United States (2.49 million), and Hong Kong (2.4 million).

In 2019, there were twice as many Chinese visitors as South Koreans, but this year, South Koreans have surpassed Chinese visitors. In relation to this, the JNTO explained, "Due to China's economic slowdown, the number of flights to Japan is at 70% of pre-COVID levels, but South Korea's relationship with Japan is good, and as of November this year, the number of visitors has already reached an all-time high."

Meanwhile, the number of foreign visitors to Japan in November was 3.19 million, up 30.6% from the same month last year. In July, then Prime Minister Fumio Kishida predicted at the Ministerial Meeting on Promoting a Tourism Nation that "35 million foreign visitors will visit Japan this year, and the total spending by foreign visitors to Japan will be about 8 trillion yen, both of which will be record highs."

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引用元　https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/0bd254852d16471cea786af8574242e3c191238f

Everyone's comments

• If diplomatic relations between Japan and South Korea improve, the number of visitors from South Korea will increase. This means that tourist spots may become less crowded from next year onwards.
• The reason why there are so many Koreans visiting Japan is simply because traveling to Japan is interesting and fun, not because Japan-Korea relations are good. Even during the NoJapan campaign, the number of visitors decreased, but many still came to visit.
• It's not overwhelming. In terms of population, Taiwan is higher (higher visit rate), and Hong Kong is even higher. Even though there are various problems, China, with a population of over 14 billion, is just too small.
• Conversely, when we asked which countries Japanese people often go to, the order was Korea, America, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. Canada, Australia, and Europe ranked low, perhaps because they are far away and expensive, or perhaps because people don't find them very attractive.
• I'm not happy at all about the increase in foreign tourists. I want something done about the weak yen soon. There are too many foreigners, not just from Asia but also from Europe and America, who shouldn't come here.
• Duty-free shopping spree? Let's stop tax-free shopping. We want tourists from Taiwan, Europe and America.
• Taiwan's population is less than half that of South Korea and one-sixtieth that of China. Considering this, the rate at which Taiwanese people visit Japan is overwhelmingly high.
• They probably come to Japan simply because it is cheap, close, and short. In other words, they don't have the energy to go far away. I wouldn't say it's a nuisance, but I'm not very happy about it either.
• It doesn't matter where foreigners are from as long as they behave properly, follow Japanese rules, don't cause trouble for others, don't litter, etc.
• Hey, what happened to the boycott of Japan? I need you to do something about it.
• Considering the population ratio, Taiwan has an overwhelming number of overseas visitors. One in four people have been there. So, does that mean one in four Japanese people go abroad in a year? No way.
• Hmm, please spare me >_
• The fact that so many foreigners are coming to Japan means that the country has become a cheap place. It's all because of Kishida.
• The country with the lowest spending among visitors to Japan is South Korea.
• The actual numbers are being grasped and tracked, and they may just disappear from the sinking ship.
• It's not overwhelmingly strong right now, but won't China overtake us in about two months?
• What happened to the NO JAPAN movement?

Editor B’s opinion

When I saw the news that the number of foreign tourists visiting Japan had reached a record high, I felt a strong sense of recovery and development in the tourism industry. I was particularly surprised to see that visitors from South Korea came out on top, but at the same time, I was also drawn to the high proportion of visitors from Taiwan. This data shows once again that Japan is gaining popularity around the world as a tourist destination.

The number of foreign visitors to Japan from January to November this year has already been reported to be 1 million, exceeding the record set in 11 and symbolizing a major recovery for Japan's tourism industry. It is gratifying to see that, having overcome the difficult situation caused by the COVID-3338 pandemic, many foreign tourists are once again visiting Japan.

In particular, there were an overwhelming number of visitors from South Korea, at 795 million, accounting for approximately 23.8% of the total. However, when considered in terms of population ratio, the number of visitors from Taiwan seems small at 555 million, but considering the population of about 2300 million, this works out to approximately 23% of people visiting Japan. This is an extremely high percentage, showing how much Taiwanese people value the opportunity to visit Japan.

Meanwhile, reports point out that the reason behind South Korea's rise to the top in terms of visitors is the improvement in Japan-South Korea relations. However, even in times past when Japan-South Korea relations deteriorated, the number of tourists from South Korea continued to visit Japan without a significant decline, so it cannot be said that the reason is simply the improvement in relations. Rather, I think a major factor is that the attractions of Japan's tourist destinations, food culture, and shopping continue to be highly valued.

Additionally, the number of visitors from China was 638 million, second only to South Korea, but this figure is down compared to 2019. This is believed to be due to the slowdown in the Chinese economy and the fact that air travel has not yet fully recovered. However, depending on future economic conditions and the expansion of air travel, it seems likely that the number of visitors from China will increase again.

Thus, while an increase in foreign tourists is expected to have an economic effect, I feel that many issues remain, such as inbound measures and easing congestion at tourist spots. In particular, in tourist spots, there are concerns about manners and increased burdens on waste disposal, which may have an impact on local residents. I think an important issue will be how to coexist with local residents while welcoming tourists.

Furthermore, in order for the tourism industry to continue to grow as a pillar supporting the economy, I feel that it is necessary to further increase the appeal of tourist destinations and create an environment in which foreign tourists can enjoy themselves comfortably, such as by strengthening multilingual support and promoting cashless payment.

As the number of foreign visitors to Japan increases, shouldn't we strengthen our efforts to attract tourists not only to tourist destinations but also to regional cities? I think it will be important to take steps to revitalize regional economies while easing congestion in urban areas. For example, if we can increase interest in regional areas by promoting historical buildings and traditional culture, the scope of tourism will likely expand.

The recovery of the tourism industry will have a ripple effect on many industries, including the accommodation, food and beverage, and retail industries, so it will be necessary to continue strengthening inbound strategies. However, as the number of foreign tourists increases, problems with public safety and manners may arise, so it is essential to take a balanced approach with local residents.

While this data reaffirms Japan's appeal as a tourism-based nation, it also highlights future issues. In particular, popular tourist destinations need to alleviate overcrowding and improve transportation. I also think that measures to encourage people to disperse to rural areas, rather than just to tourist destinations, are necessary.

It is good to see that an increase in foreign tourists will help spread awareness of Japanese culture and its charms, but at the same time, we should also promote guidelines to prevent trouble before it happens and educate tourists on tourist etiquette. By creating an environment where tourists can enjoy themselves with peace of mind, we can attract more repeat visitors.

The recent record-breaking number of foreign visitors to Japan is evidence that Japan's tourism industry is regaining vitality, but I believe it is important not to let this end as a passing fad, but to develop it into a sustainable tourism policy.

Written by: Editorial Department B

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