October foreign entries to Japan top pre-pandemic levels for 1st time
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan saw an estimated 2,516,500 foreign visitors in October, up 0.8 percent from the same month in 2019, the first time the monthly figure has surpassed levels seen before the coronavirus outbreak, government data showed Wednesday.
The increase of visitors from Asia, Australia, parts of Europe, and North America, in particular, in an environment of a weak yen and resumed airline services contributed to the return of foreigners to Japan, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization.
Visitor arrivals from January to October totaled over 19.89 million. The figure is on pace to reach 25 million for 2023.
Ideas:
While there might be an increase in foreign visitors to Japan, its amazing that the higher airline ticket prices haven't stopped tourists from going to Japan. But maybe it has, even though there are record numbers, the amount might have been even more.
The weak Japanese yen, maybe offsets the high airline ticket prices, as maybe tourists weigh both together and still see going to Japan, despite high airline prices, the weak Japanese yen, is a deal maker.
The record is 30 million in 2019, just before the pandemic shut everything down for a few years.
Article:
The most arrivals in the reporting month came from South Korea at 631,100, more than triple compared with the figure in October 2019. Taiwan came in second at 424,800, up 2.7 percent.
Visitors from mainland China, which used to be the largest visitor group to Japan before the COVID-19 pandemic, stood at 256,300, down 64.9 percent, while they still ranked third in a list of arrival numbers by country and region in October.
After Beijing lifted restrictions on its citizens regarding group travels bound for Japan in August, the Japan Tourism Agency projected arrivals from mainland China would increase along with China's major holidays starting on Oct. 1.
Ideas:
Back in 2019 South Korea didn't have positive feelings about Japan, so the numbers might have much less back then.
Most likely, Chinese tourists will again be the largest group. However, as South Korea in the past or before the pandemic, there might be some who harbor not so good ideas about Japan and especially the Fukushima situation releasing power plant water into the ocean, as now China has a ban of Japanese seafood.
When I went to Tokyo from South Korea, in Feb. of 2023, Japan has been open for visitors for only a few months, and you still had to show proof of three boosters shots, and register on a Japanese website to get approval. At that time, its seemed somewhat confusing as there seemed to be many steps you had to go through. And walking to the immigration area, for maybe 100 to 200 meters, there were foreign helpers every few meters, it seemed, holding signs about what do to and if you had all of the needed paperwork.
In Jan. of 2024 when I went back to Tokyo from South Korea, you only had to show your passport, and they had refined the immigration process, where you show your passport, get your picture taken and do digital finger prints, in an area before the immigration counter, and then you went to the immigration counter and got a 3 month stamp in your passports. A much faster process through Japan immigration.
Article:
But arrivals from China decreased about 70,000 from September.
The slump appears to have been caused by China's slow flight recovery as well as it falling behind in easing travel restrictions compared with many other countries.
Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, however, anticipates flights connecting the two neighbors will increase.
Ideas:
It seems China is a little behind other countries in finally opening up completely, including the resumption of airline flights and Chinese tourists getting out and about to other countries.
But as Chinese has a huge middle class, who want to travel, it won't take much time for Chinse tourists are again traveling everywhere.
As the Chinese new year is approaching, most likely the numbers to Japan will again get back to normal and maybe again be Japans largest group of foreign tourists.
Article:
Arrivals from the United States rose 38.2 percent to 211,900 from four years earlier, while Germany marked a 17.6 percent rise to 30,900, the highest ever for arrivals from the country in a single month.
The number of Japanese nationals traveling overseas in October stood at 937,700, 43.6 percent less than the same month in 2019.
Ideas:
The weak Japanese might be the main incentive to visit Japan as travel from the US and Germany is not easy as it takes many hours sitting on a plane to get to Japan.
Again, it seems the high airline ticket prices haven't deterred from traveling to Japan.
At the same time, as Tokyo Haneda international airport, near the center of Tokyo, is much closer than Narita international airport, which is maybe 30 kilometers away from Tokyo. As foreign airlines compete to get spots at Tokyo Haneda, it has to be an incentive to travel to Haneda instead of Narita, which used to be the major airport for international arrivals But now it seems Haneda has just a many international arrivals as Narita.
Have a nice day and be safe!
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