Tokyo Haneda Airports Users: Ideas Later.

Tokyo's Haneda airport tops 90 million users for 1st time in 2025

Article source: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260129/p2g/00m/0bu/016000c

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TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The number of travelers using Tokyo's Haneda airport for domestic and international flights surpassed 90 million for the first time in 2025, driven by a surge in inbound tourism, the transport ministry said Wednesday.

Japan's busiest airport saw about 91.43 million travelers last year, a 6.7 percent increase from the previous year, although domestic travelers have yet to return to pre-pandemic levels. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, it also reached the maximum slot limit of around 490,000 takeoffs and landings.

About 67.10 million people flew on domestic flights, up 5.5 percent from a year earlier, while international travelers rose 10.1 percent to a record high of around 24.33 million.

Passenger numbers on routes to and from China declined, while those to and from Hong Kong and Taiwan surged.

As it will no longer be possible to increase the number of takeoffs and landings at Haneda, the growing burden from inbound tourism will likely fall on Narita airport near Tokyo, a transport ministry official said.

Narita airport in Chiba Prefecture is undergoing a project to enhance its capacity by extending an existing runway and building a new one, which is expected to increase the number of takeoffs and landings from 340,000 to 500,000.

JAL sales in April-Dec. Ideas Later.

JAL sales in April-Dec. at record 1.51 tril. yen on firm inbound tourism

Article source: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260203/p2g/00m/0bu/029000c

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TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan Airlines Co. said Tuesday its sales for the nine months through December rose 9.2 percent from the previous year to 1.51 trillion yen ($9.75 billion), a record high for the period since its relisting in 2012, buoyed by strong demand for inbound tourism.

Its net profit climbed 24.9 percent to 113.74 billion yen, as the major Japanese air carrier also got a boost from robust domestic travel demand.

Despite the tailwind, JAL took a cautious view on travel demand from China, one of its key markets.

"We are seeing the effects of declining demand from China... especially from group bookings," Chief Financial Officer Yuji Saito said at a press conference, saying that demand was down between 20 to 25 percent from a year earlier for the company.

China urged its citizens in November to avoid traveling to Japan amid growing tensions between the two countries, since controversial remarks about a Taiwan contingency by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

"We will also be affected for the upcoming Chinese New Year," Saito said, adding that the company needs to gauge demand trends. "We hope the appetite for travel (to Japan) will return."

For the nine months ending in December, revenues from its international flight operations grew by 9.1 percent, while revenues from its domestic flight operations increased by 7.3 percent.

Passengers of international flights in the same period increased 8.2 percent to around 6 million and those of domestic flights rose 7.4 percent to around 29 million.

JAL maintained its earnings forecast for the current business year through March, with net profits expected to grow 7.4 percent to 115 billion yen and sales forecast to increase 7.2 percent to 1.98 trillion yen.

It said the same day the Development Bank of Japan was considering acquiring a stake in Jetstar Japan Co., a budget carrier and JAL affiliate, with major shareholder Qantas Airways Ltd. selling all of its shares.

"We hope to enhance corporate value," Saito said, adding that JAL hopes to announce the new brand in October this year.

Japan Farm Exports: Ideas Later.

Japan's annual farm exports rise to new record 1.7 trillion yen

Article source: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260203/p2g/00m/0bu/030000c

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TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japanese exports of agriculture, forestry and fishery products and foods rose to over 1.7 trillion yen ($10.9 billion) in 2025, renewing the record for the 13th straight year, amid expansions of worldwide popularity of washoku, or Japanese cuisine, the farm ministry said Tuesday.

Amid heightened health awareness, green tea exports doubled from the previous year, and exports of 20 major items, including beef and rice, reached record high, contributing to a 12.8 percent year-on-year increase, according to the ministry.

But the exports fell short of the government's target of 2 trillion yen in 2025, with continuous efforts to develop export markets deemed indispensable as the government aims for 5 trillion yen in exports in 2030.

By country and region, the United States was the top destination at 276.2 billion yen, up 13.7 percent, on the back of strong demand for green tea and seafood that are considered healthy food, despite higher tariffs imposed since April last year.

Hong Kong came in second at 222.8 billion yen followed by Taiwan at 181.2 billion yen, while China, which has reimposed suspension of Japanese seafood imports amid a diplomatic row, ranked fourth at 179.9 billion yen.

Exports to China rose for the first time in three years, up 7.0 percent, driven by notable increases of beer and timber logs.

By volume, rice exports rose 3.2 percent from the previous year to 46,573 tons. Those of packaged precooked rice soared 21.8 percent to 2,950 tons, due in part to consumption expansions at Japanese chain restaurants overseas.

The government aims to boost annual rice exports, including packaged rice and rice flour, to 353,000 tons in 2030.

"We need to expand our destinations to popular local restaurants" in addition to chain restaurants operated by Japanese firms, an official of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said.

Japan 2025 Industrial Output: Ideas Later.

Japan's 2025 industrial output rises 0.8%, 1st increase in 4 years

Article source:  https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260130/p2g/00m/0bu/011000c

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TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's industrial output in 2025 grew 0.8 percent from the previous year, marking a rise for the first time in four years, helped by increases in the production of electronic parts and devices, government data showed Friday.

The index of production at factories and mines in 2025 stood at 102.0 against the 2020 base of 100, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said in a preliminary report.

Auto production also helped lift annual output despite the impact of higher tariffs imposed by the United States.

"With a certain level of tariffs remaining, there is no doubt that profits have been affected," a ministry official said, adding the data shows "producers are enduring the situation."

Although uncertainty persists over U.S. tariffs and deteriorating Japan-China relations, firms are gauging the situation objectively, the official said.

The annual index of industrial shipments rose 0.4 percent to 100.3, while that of inventories fell 2.7 percent to 96.1.

In December alone, industrial output dropped a seasonally adjusted 0.1 percent from the previous month to 101.8, following a 2.7 percent drop in November.

The ministry maintained its basic assessment that production "fluctuates indecisively," while projecting a 9.3 percent jump in January and a 4.3 percent decline in February based on a poll of manufacturers.

Seven of the 15 industrial sectors covered in the survey saw output decreases, including production machinery, chemicals -- but not inorganic and organic chemicals and medicine -- and pulp, paper and paper products.

Seven other sectors logged increases, including general-purpose and business-oriented machinery, electrical machinery, information and communication electronics equipment and motor vehicles, while the iron, steel and non-ferrous metals sector remained flat.

The index of industrial shipments declined 1.7 percent to 98.9, while inventories rose 1.0 percent to 98.3 in the month.

Japan Private Rice Imports: Ideas Later.

Japan's private rice imports rise 96-fold to hit record high in 2025

Article source: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260129/p2g/00m/0na/039000c

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TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's private rice imports hit a record high of 96,779 tons in 2025, marking around a whopping 96-fold increase from the previous year as the price of domestically produced rice remains elevated, government data showed Thursday.

The surge from 1,008 tons in 2024 came despite the Japanese government implementing a tariff of 341 yen ($2.20) per kilogram on privately imported rice, with prices still comparatively cheaper than local alternatives.

According to the Finance Ministry's trade statistics, rice imports gradually rose from last January and peaked in July at 26,349 tons, before trending downward from August. The annual volume was the largest since comparable data became available in 2000.

The United States was the number one source, accounting for 75,638 tons, followed by Taiwan at 7,024 tons and Vietnam at 4,515 tons.

Japan currently imports some 770,000 tons of rice annually tariff-free under its minimum access commitment based on World Trade Organization rules.

Of that, up to 100,000 tons are destined for the private sector for staple food use. The private imports came on top of this tariff-free quota.

Japan Jobless Rate: Ideas Later.

Japan's jobless rate in 2025 stays at 2.5% as tight job market continue

Article source:  https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260130/p2g/00m/0bu/009000c

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TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's average unemployment rate in 2025 stood unchanged from the previous year at 2.5 percent, reflecting a tight labor market as the number of people with jobs increased, while more joined the workforce amid inflation.

The number of unemployed people averaged 1.76 million, the same level as in 2024, while the number of employed people rose by 470,000 to 68.28 million, hitting a record high for the second straight year, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said.

Despite the increase in the number of employed people, the jobless rate remained unchanged as the labor force expanded for the third consecutive year, growing 470,000 to 70.04 million, the highest figure since comparable data became available in 1953, as more women and elderly people joined the workforce.

The labor force includes people aged 15 or older who are employed, as well as those who are unemployed but willing and able to work.

Shinichiro Kobayashi, principal economist at Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting, said there are both positive and negative factors underlying the growth trend in the labor force.

While more people are motivated to work due to rising wages and better conditions such as flexible working hours, "Many people are facing the need to secure higher incomes as surging prices are making their lives harder," Kobayashi said.

Among those not in work, the number of people dismissed by their employers stood at 220,000, while those who left jobs voluntarily, typically in search of better opportunities, totaled 750,000. The number of people newly seeking jobs came to 480,000, all unchanged from 2024.

In December alone, the unemployment rate was unchanged from November at 2.6 percent, according to the ministry.

Separate data showed that the average job availability ratio in 2025 fell 0.03 point from a year earlier to 1.22, deteriorating for the second consecutive year, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said.

The figure means there were 122 jobs available for every 100 job seekers.

"More businesses are restraining hiring on the back of soaring material costs driven by inflation and labor-saving measures due to minimum wage increases," a labor ministry official said.

In December, the job availability ratio edged up 0.01 point from November to 1.19, according to the labor ministry.

By industry, new job openings rose 4.0 percent from a year earlier in the education sector and 1.6 percent in manufacturing.

In contrast, new job openings fell 10.5 percent in information and communications, and 7.0 percent in the hotel and restaurant sector.

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BOJ leaves benchmark unchanged: Ideas later.

BOJ leaves benchmark interest rate unchanged at policy meeting

Article source: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260123/p2g/00m/0bu/020000c

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TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Bank of Japan kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at around 0.75 percent on Friday, as it assessed the impact of last month's rate increase on the economy amid a recent spike in government bond yields and a falling yen.

The decision came after the central bank raised its key rate to the highest level in 30 years at its December meeting, determining that there was a greater likelihood of achieving its two percent inflation target.

In its latest quarterly outlook report, released after the gathering, the BOJ raised its economic growth forecasts to account for the impact of a stimulus package compiled under the government of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, a fiscal and monetary dove, who took office in October.

The central bank now expects the Japanese economy to grow by 0.9 percent in the current fiscal year ending in March and by 1.0 percent in the following year, up from the 0.7 percent expansion projected in October.

The BOJ broadly maintained its inflation projections, except for a 0.1 percentage-point upward revision to 1.9 percent for fiscal 2026.

The report said developments in overseas economies and prices are potential risks to the Japanese economy, while "exchange rate developments are, compared to the past, more likely to affect prices."

With BOJ chief Kazuo Ueda signaling readiness to continue raising rates if economic activity and prices move in line with expectations, market focus has shifted to the timing of the BOJ's next policy move.

Of the nine policymakers, hawkish member Hajime Takata proposed a rate hike to around 1 percent, citing upward risks to prices, though it was voted down.

In the report, the BOJ retained its view that the 2 percent inflation target will be achieved in the latter half of the three-year outlook period through fiscal 2027, a prerequisite for further hikes.

The latest policy meeting was held as financial markets have recently been rattled by surging Japanese government bond yields and the yen's sharp depreciation due largely to concerns over Japan's fiscal health in the wake of Takaichi's expansionary spending policy.

Japan's already strained public finances have come under increased scrutiny after both ruling and opposition parties proposed suspending the consumption tax on food as part of their campaign pledges ahead of a snap lower house election on Feb. 8.

Even after the monetary tightening last month, the Japanese currency has remained under selling pressure, adding to upward pressure on import costs and inflation in the resource-poor nation.

Japan Inflation in Dec. Updated Feb. 3, 2026.

Japan inflation rate at 2.4% in Dec. on food costs, above BOJ target

Article source: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260123/p2g/00m/0bu/014000c

Ideas

Inflation in Japan has been higher than normal or what it should almost since the pandemic and doesn't seem to be decreasing anytime soon or most likely will be too high or most consumers in Japan for a while.

And yes, at 2.4 percent its above the BOJ's target of 2 percent, which coincidentally is the tragedy rate that most central banks around the world prefer inflation to be at and they feel its at a manageable rate, which keep an economy moving along correctly.

State subsides, which Japan has been using a lot lately to help Japanese households is both a positive and can be a negative too.

For Japanese households subsidies help with a households disposable income which means they potentially have a little more to either save or to spend in the economy.

While a negative means potentially it could increase the already high Japan government debt which is one of the highest if not the highest among advanced economies.

The new Prime Minister appears to be like a fiscal dove which means in the near future there could be more government spending to help the economy with lower interest rates, more government subsides, and additional budgets to help improve the economy and improve the lives of Japanese households, but of course increasing the already high government debt.

Even with a core-core CPI of 2.9 percent it is most likely higher than what most Japanese households want to see as it strips away or decreases their needed disposable income for spending in other areas of the economy or other areas of spending they need to do for their families and homes.

At the same time, at 2.9 percent that is most likely way too high for lower-income families and significantly too high for fixed income families as even a slight increase in inflation can have a major impact on the fixed income families in Japan, as they might have to go without some food or needed supplies for their home situation.

Once again an increase of 6.7 percent is way to high for most Japanese households as it cuts into their already limited disposable income and which means potentially less spending in the the Japanese economy which is sorely needed to help get the economy moving again.

And then there is the weak Japanese yen, which can be both a positive and a negative for the Japanese economy. For domestic economy overall, a weak yen increases the price of imports to Japan, which means importers or wholesalers in the supply chain can and will pass-on the import price increases to the next in the supply chain which eventually will include the final retail consumer in Japan.

As far as being a positive the weak yen increases the profits of Japanese export companies which sell their products in overseas markets which contributes to the Japan current account which like a country's bank account which potentially has the ability to maybe reduce higher than normal Japanese government debt.

The increase in rice prices all started back in the summer of 2024 with a supposed rice shortage and with the news of a possible potential earthquake, which saw Japanese consumer rushing to the the supermarkets to buy up as much rice as they could and or horde as much as they could due to the new of a potential earthquake.

And then there was and is the supposedly continued rice shortage which Japan has not been able to control or has been unable to control the increase in rice prices since the summer of 2024, as all of the strategies the Japan government has tried to get rice prices down has not really worked.

Japan is a resource-poor economy which means it has to import much of what it needs including its energy supply needs. What is still not clear on why haven't the supposed trade agreements it has with oil producing countries and Japan still has to pay for higher oil prices on their energy imports.

Again, government subsidies are sometimes good and of course needed to help but again they can increase debt that a government has but Japan has been using subsidies for so long that maybe they no longer think much about it as it just a normal situation now in Japan.

Maybe the Japanese government keeps trying many strategies to get prices down and at the same time trying to get Japanese consumers to spend more in the economy, but while intentions are good they don't don't seem to be working that much at the present time.

Yes, an increase in the key BOJ rate had the potential to reduce inflation but can it be sustained over the long term or is inflation going to inch back up in the future, as inflation has continually been like sticky prices meaning its stubborn and doesn't want to go down that much or that fast in Japan.

The BOJ target inflation rate of 2 percent has been a target of goal for a very long time but it hasn't been reached or able to be reached as whatever the Japanese government or the BOJ tries to use to get inflation down just hasn't worked.

But to be fair to the BOJ, they really haven't tried to increase the key rate that much as the BOJ as consistently suggested that the Japanese economy overall has just been too weak to handle any sustained rate increases and there are just potentially too many side affects related to a rate increase in Japan.

Wage growth or wage increases seem to be a strategies that the BOJ is counting on to help the the Japanese economy a to grow again and get out of its current stagnation phase but the wage increases which really started again April of 2024 really hasn't had that much of an affect yet.

The reason why the wage increases might not have had that much of an affect is up to 70 percent of the workforce in Japan doesn't work for the large name-brand companies which give the best wage increases while the small and mid-size companies where most Japanese workers are don't give as good a wage increase which means they still feel the affects of inflation and still don't want or can't spend in the Japanese economy as much as the BOJ would like them to spend.

Core consumer prices might have increased 3.1 percent annually which they might have a cumulative affect meaning the previous years increases of consumer prices have compounded over time which makes the 3.1 percent increase feel even more as fours of prices increases for the average Japanese family can be significantly and can greatly reduce their disposable income needed to spend on other things in the economy.

And then again there is the lower-income group and the fixed income group which the compounding of the core consumer prices which even expensive to the point they might have to find substitutes for food or other items they normally buy as they are just too expensive, or unfortunately have to go without.

And again, there is the rice situation in Japan, which never should have happened as rice is a major staple for most if not all Japanese households. Some can blame the weather, some can blame government strategies to reduce prices but whatever has been tried just hasn't worked to bring prices down.

There should have been maybe the use of prices controls, maybe on a temporary basis to control the price of rice for the good of society or at least price controls in supermarkets as needed as again rice is a major staple like milk, bread, and eggs are in western economies and maybe shouldn't be left the the whims of the markets to determine the prices as Japanese society depends on or needs a normal price structure that is not out of their control related to their daily lives.

Have a nice day!

Japan 2025 Convenience store sales: Updated Jan. 31, 2026.

Japan 2025 convenience store sales hit record 12 trillion yen

Article source: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260121/p2g/00m/0bu/022000c

Ideas

Japanese convenience stores are experiencing significant growth which is good for the Japanese economy as every little bit helps in getting the economy back to a growth stage and out of its current economic slump.

Just to add some personal experience, which I don't do very much, I am always surprised and amazed whenever I go into a Japanese convenience store and the quality and is second to none and the variety is always significant.

The challenge of course will be to see if the trend can continue as just maybe Japanese convenience store sales are becoming a niche economic driver for the Japanese economy.

It seems that maybe foreign tourists in Japan too has seen how good Japanese convenience stores are and are frequenting them a lot too which might be the reason for the increase in sales for four straight years.

And then there is the practical ideas that Japanese cities are well-planned and they have a significant number of Japanese conbinis or convenience stores which makes it practical and easy to find one and get whatever you and or need without going to a real supermarket.

Not to mention that the food selection in Japanese convenience stores are almost second to none and they can easily rival Japanese supermarkets for a customer's daily needs.

Yes Japanese convenience stores are always finding ways to get customers into their stores as even they face stiff competition from the other 6 rival stores including traditional Japanese supermarkets and department stores.

While this article suggests sales are at a record level it must be remembered or should be remembered that for some convenience stores in Japan all is not well, with maybe some int he rural areas of Japan have challenges finding workers to work the late shifts or even the midnight shifts and young Japanese workers don't want to work those hours.

And then there is the problem of maybe a husband and wife bought into a convenience store franchise and the cost of the products need to stock the store is too high due to pressure form the home office company forcing high prices on the husband and wife team.

The food items at convenience stores in Japan, at least for everyday lunch or breakfast items, are maybe unlimited as they can find almost anything for their lunch and or breakfast needs. 

And many if not of the convenience stores re-stock their fresh good offering daily if not several times a day to make sure the that whenever a customers enters a store there is whatever they need or what related to fresh food is there for them.

Its quite possible that the number of Japanese convience stores have reached a saturation point where there just might be too many stores now and the trend is some stores or some franchise stores are beginning to close or go out of business especially in the rural areas of Japan.

And then there is the idea that maybe some franchise stores operated by a husband and wife team, especially in the rural areas, just can't make the needed profit to keep the store open and or they just can't find enough workers to handle the evening or midnight shifts and needed or required by the home office, as there is a supposed labor shortage in Japan at this time.

But then again sales, most likely in the major metro areas such a as Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Nagoya continue to increase as foreign customers continue to frequent convience stores due to the selection and variety without having to a traditional department store or supermarket.

Have a nice day!

Japan And Foreign Workers at Convenience Stores: Ideas Later.

Top execs at Japan convenience stores stress foreign workers' role as gov't eyes clampdown

Article source:  https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260119/p2a/00m/0bu/025000c

Article to be deleted after ideas: 

Article:TOKYO -- Top executives at major convenience store chains in Japan have spoken out on the importance of foreign workers in the wake of moves by the administration of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to tighten rules relating to foreigners in the country.

In 2025, the number of foreign employees working for convenience store operators Seven-Eleven Japan Co., Lawson Inc. and FamilyMart Co. reached 110,000, making them an indispensable part of the companies' workforces.

Many of the foreign employees working at convenience stores are international students. The student status of residence does not allow work in principle, but if they apply to the Immigration Services Agency for permission to engage in activity other than that allowed under their status of residence, they can work up to 28 hours per week.

We certainly do not see them as cheap labor, but want them to learn in Japan through work, including their studies," said Seven & i Holdings Co. Executive Chair Junro Ito.

Regarding current rules on working hours, Ito expressed understanding, saying, "Rather than letting work interfere with their studies, having the current limit on working hours is OK," but added, "It would be scary for the situation to turn into a form of exclusionism. It's necessary to protect those who are working without any problems."

There have been cases where foreign workers have obtained the necessary status of residence and started operating stores, and Ito says he has heard enthusiastic comments such as, "If Seven-Eleven opens in my home country someday, I want to be the owner of the first one."

In a message to the Japanese government, Ito commented, "Excluding such people is no good. I would like them to consider how Japanese society can coexist with foreigners."

Lawson President Sadanobu Takemasu, meanwhile, expressed a sense of crisis about the industry's outlook, stating, "In the future, there will be a global labor shortage, and it will be an age when workers ponder, 'Which country shall I work in?' If they don't choose this country, it will become one where a convenient lifestyle is difficult (because the conveniences store business won't be sustainable)."

The convenience store industry has long faced a serious labor shortage and has been working to streamline operations by introducing self-checkout registers and using artificial intelligence (AI) to place orders and perform other tasks.

Takemasu stated, "We will make proper use of AI, digital technology and robotics to boost productivity. While preparing a work environment that foreigners will choose, we want to raise productivity." The company aims to tap advanced technology and foreign labor. FamilyMart President Kensuke Hosomi noted the government's stance of rushing to tighten regulations on foreigners, cautioning, "General theory should be separated from individual cases in discussions. It's not good to keep moving in the direction of continuing to impose restrictions excessively."

Noting that the convenience store industry is not covered by the specified skilled worker system, which accepts foreign workers with certain expertise or skills, Hosomi stated, "It is extremely important to resolve the shortage of workers, including by adding the convenience story category of retailing to the system."

The number of foreign part-time workers at convenience stores has been increasing each year. According to the three companies, in 2025 Seven-Eleven employed about 52,000 foreign workers, Lawson about 31,000 and FamilyMart about 27,000.

The three executives spoke to reporters on Jan. 6 at a New Year reception hosted in Tokyo by the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) and two other business organizations.

Foreign Visitors to Japan: Updated Jan. 25, 2026.

Foreign visitors to Japan in 2025 top 40 mil. for 1st time; spending surges to record high

Article source:  https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260120/p2a/00m/0bu/008000c

Ideas

Back in the early 2,000 teens the then Prime Minister came up with the idea of increasing the number of countries that could enter Japan on a visa free entry to increase foreigner spending as way to increase in increase the Japanese economy. 

It seems to have worked and with the Japanese yen being very weak it gives foreign tourists more purchasing power to buy more things in Japan to stay longer in Japan as they technically have more money.

So, while the weak Japanese yen is a positive for foreign tourists and also for Japanese export companies that sell their products overseas it is a negative for the domestic economy as a weak yen drives up the price of import products.

But at the same time, as the weak yen helps foreign tourists to spend more in the Japanese domestic economy it is actually helping that sector too.

With that said, the Bank of Japan has to be very cautious about doing anything to lesson the weak yen as tourism is always a very fragile sector and can change very quickly if tourists see or perceive their purchasing power has been reduced in Japan.

Japan has had up and down relations with China and South Korea for the better part of the last 50 plus years, Every time Japan does something good or positive toward the two countries it finds a way to do something not so good which puts them back into the same frame as before where diplomacy is challenged.

In this case Japan, the powers to be in the government said something about Taiwan that China apparently didn't like so they told their citizens its not safe to visit Japan and as always Chinese citizens being somewhat nationalistic headed what the government said and are not traveling to Japan at this time.

Some might say some areas of Japan have already reached the saturation point and just can't handle any more foreign tourists. Some in Japan has suggested adding a foreign tourist tax to places like hotel in those areas such a as Kyoto where there seems to be too many tourists at time as a way to either dissuade more tourists or using the tourist tax to help pickup trash that foreigners leave on the ground or help with hiring workers to help foreigner in places like Kyoto.

And then there are the ultra nationalists in Japan who are suggesting limiting the number of foreign residents Japan as some areas or places in Japan are weary of foreign residents.

The problem with that approach is, because of Japan's low birth rate and increased ageing society, Japan actually needs foreigners to work in Japan and contribute to the pension system along with spending in the Japanese economy.

But Japan, and the powers to be have resisted, for the most part of opening up immigration enough to really benefit the Japanese economy as some have suggest too many immigrants in Japan will dilute the fragile Japanese culture and all immigrants do is send their money home and not use or spend it in Japan.

Foreign visitors to Japan are good and needed but its not going to really help the Japanese economy as Japan needs more sustained economic drivers such as more immigration strategies that can bring in all levels of skills into Japan and not just focus on the most skilled workers as all workers, if given a chance, can significantly be contributors to the Japanese economy in the future.

Have a nice day!