Foreign Visitors to Japan: Updated Feb. 24, 2024

 

Foreign visitors to Japan in Jan. returns to pre-pandemic level

Article Source: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20240221/p2g/00m/0na/038000c

Ideas:

Before the pandemic, I traveled to Japan, from South Korea, two or three times a year, and before 2019, I didn't remember that many tourists, but the number really increased in 2019, especially with the Japan Rugby World Cup, even though I didn't go to Japan for the World Cup.

I tried to go to Japan in March of 2020, just before the pandemic hit hard, and I was to enter Japan on March 4, but the Japan border would close on March 5, so I was OK, but cancelled the trip for safety reasons.

In recent years, before the pandemic, the largest group were Chinese tourists, being a short distance from Japan, made for an easy vacation trip.

Before the pandemic, there were some negative feelings in South Korea toward Japan, but that seems to have evaporated as now many South Koreans visit Japan over China now, due maybe negative feelings toward China.

Taiwan, it seems, has never had any negative feelings toward Japan, as Taiwan has steered clear of anything about WWII that might cause negative feelings toward Japan.

China, it seems, still harbors some negative feelings but that doesn't keep Chinese tourists from coming to Japan.

Again, before the pandemic, the largest group were the Chinese coming to Japan, and buying huge amounts of duty free products along with Japanese appliances and so on..

South Koreans continue to travel to Japan, as the March 1, 2024 three day holiday many flights from South Korea to Japan are already full, over course maybe taking advantage of the weak Japanese yen, which gives foreign tourists more purchasing power.

Japan travelers don't have the advantage of a weak currency as the Japan yen weak compared to the strong US dollar or Euro. which maybe is incentive not to travel overseas for many Japanese at this time.

If in 2024, the Japanese yen become less weak and more stronger due to the Bank of Japan increasing the key interest rate, how much will it affect foreign tourists going to Japan. 

Also it seems to high airline tickers, at least for the major carriers, have not discouraged foreign tourists from going to Japan.

As now there are many low-cost airlines in every country, but the negative related to Tokyo, is most if not all low-cost airlines have to land in Narita and not Tokyo Haneda, which is near the central part of Tokyo, while Narita, is maybe one hour from the central part of Tokyo. 

Have a nice day and be safe!