Japan aiming for record number of foreign visitors in 2025

Meanwhile, the Japanese citizen arrivals breezed through their own vast and empty counter zone with no waits at all.

The Japanese authorities should end their discriminatory attitudes and systems if they want the number of foreign visitors to rise so sharply. Treat everyone the same. I'm not optimistic, though. Discriminatory attitudes are ingrained here.

Stupidity? yes. Discrimination? probably not. Every country has separate lines for citizens and non-citizens, and in mid-January there simply were more foreign travellers than Japanese, I imagine. (I came back in early January and breezed through the shortest lines of all: foreign re-entrants with PR) It's more a staffing issue than anything else.

The tourism plan covering fiscal 2023 to 2025 also aims to increase per person spending to 200,000 yen, up around 25 percent from 2019 levels, and see a 10 percent increase in the number of overnight stays in regional areas by foreign visitors.

With the weaker yen this should be rather easy to attain. BUT, it will depend a lot on how much the prices charged in tourist areas rise, due to increased costs.

There was a time, down here in Okinawa, not all that long ago, that the average tourist only dropped 10,000, on average, per-person, into the local Okinawa economy. How and where the money gets spent will make a huge difference in how the economies in the tourist areas recover.

In 2019, Westerners were 13%, about 4 million people. China alone was 9.6 million.

https://yamatogokoro.jp/column/beginner-beginner3/37899/

So to make up for a significant drop off in Chinese, the number of Western tourists would have to at least double. The Ukraine war has no end in sight, so airfares will not fall. Many flights to Europe are currently rerouted to avoid Russian airspace, making them even longer and more expensive. Flights from Europe to Japan are cheaper than the other way (grrr!) but you're still looking at 800GBP plus. For two weeks in Japan, a holiday from the UK (or anywhere in Europe) is going to cost 2500 ish GBP per person plus, about 400,000 yen. If you are single or a double earner couple, not such a big deal, but add some kids and that gets very pricey.

Everyone in tourism knows this, but the way to get people to the "regions" is to get repeat visitors. The vast majority of first time visitors, like these new Westerners, will go to Tokyo and Kyoto before anywhere else.

I say this Sakura season international tourist will up by 50% . To enjoy your stay in Japan I say 10,000 yen per day after accom and travel cost. This amount will 10,000 will see you well.

A news item on one of the Kansai networks last night was already airing the gripes of the Kyoto City populace once again upset (and rightly so) about their very overcrowded city bus network.

It was obvious due to the vision that the problem has been caused by the new influx of tourists both domestic and from overseas. A local person could be seen standing in behind a group of six tourists with large backpacks armed with their ¥700 unlimited travel day passes.

This problem reached a peak pre 2020 and should have been addressed by now.

Kanazawa has tourist "loop" buses that get visitors to and from all the major sites without hindering the locals too much.

Happy to hear any feedback and comments from Kyoto based people.

Jefflee: I came through that line 02/02 all I had to do was per fight and what is ask of you on web Japan or what site, I took screen shot if the Quarantine blue screen. When I arrive I open up the screen shot held up my phone showing the blue screen and just wave through no question. easy. Just do per fight what is ask and it is very simple even for this 60 +year old.

Like today I entered the onsen and all the Japanese got out not with any feeling of disgust, nor make eye contact. nor gaze at me with ill feel either. I can only assume because no eye contact is made that they a scare of me like the unknown.

I've never had that happen to me in over two decades. Maybe they know that you refer to yourself as -'san', which is a bit weird, although I assume your name isn't really John

I've been noticing an uptick in the number of tourists at the backpacker hotels and hostels I stay at, especially the past two months. This even includes some Chinese. It's a good thing. These places for the last two years have looked like ghost towns.

Remove the testing before travel requirements and you'll see even more

Anyone with that level of entitlement and seeking that level of comfort is welcome to see their local Toyota dealer and pay for a car.

why , the process of getting a car registered in Japan is far more difficult than actually buying a car. there are plenty of rental car companies around. just need a passport and international drivers license.

There's a reason why regional tourism is the mainstay. It's both more convenient and cheaper to fly from South Korea, China, Taiwan and HK to Japan.

There should be more than enough demand in the West to make up the shortfall - and then some.

I mean, go for it but I'm going to guess it will take a couple years to build back up. With the why things are with China I would expect fewer tourists from there in the short to medium term.

And they all come and go CO2 neutral, move around here in EV, behave sustainable and are happy to not get any souvenir packaging and plastic forks in the convenient stores while spending 200,000? Come on, either that touristic or that environmental goal is quite out of range!

Rather than focusing solely on numbers, the revision will also incorporate strategies to address "tourism pollution" through measures such as attracting high-end tourists and encouraging them to venture outside the main cities.

Translation: Chinese tourists are loud and cause noise pollution and regular pollution and are not 'high-end'.

It will be just another target that Japan can not achieved,

If you are hitting all your targets, you are aiming too low. I think it's great that Japan is embracing tourism. With very few exceptions, people all over the world have a favorable view of Japan. And there really is no other place like it.

The challenge is there is only so much ramen, anime and Temples a tourist can take. After a 2 week visit, most will never go back.

Under the scheme, municipalities that meet certain criteria will be certified as taking measures to reduce carbon dioxide emissions

So fly the hordes in, and then capture some C02 or put the aircon at 28 in mid summer heat to reduce carbon. This is policy in action in Japan. Absurd.

armed with their ¥700 unlimited travel day passes.

Most people coming to Japan have plenty of money. There is no need to give them discounted transport.

That said, I hope the media wasn't suggesting that sharing public transport with people with big bags is some kind of hardship, because it is not. Anyone with that level of entitlement and seeking that level of comfort is welcome to see their local Toyota dealer and pay for a car.

Build more Pokémon and game/anime themed attractions then I guess. Big hit places like these where people are compelled to spend on items they can’t get back home are always good.

can make all the cultural experiences you want in the country side but tourists rarely if ever visit outside the same major 2~4 cities

another(s) easy to access large facility pop culture retailer seems like my armchair businessman, slam dunk given how many complaints there are about lines and merch selling out

Let me get this straight. You are suggesting that driving a car in central Kyoto is a good option for most people?

My point was locals who have a problem with other people on public transport should buy a car

Good news. A record 35-40 Million tourists in '25 is realistic. Agencies are currently promoting Japan on social media like never before - and there is an unprecedented hunger among people desperate to get to Japan.

With no immediate prospects for a recovery in Chinese visitors, the government is likely to focus on attracting wealthy travelers from Western countries instead.

Good. May as well write off the Chinese tourists, as the tourist authorities are doing. Very unreliable and unstable source. There should be more than enough demand in the West to make up the shortfall - and then some.

Rather than focusing solely on numbers, the revision will also incorporate strategies to address "tourism pollution" through measures such as attracting high-end tourists and encouraging them to venture outside the main cities

Where is the benefit to the populace?

'High end tourists ' and their massive carbon footprints damage the environment, pay into high end retailers, pay back little to the general economy of low wage tourist industry workers and are a capitalist delusion of Japanese rentier property owners.

Tourism has few benefits in Japan's unequal economy

How will Japan make this goal without the loud Chinese?

When travel on crowd transport you reverse your pack and have it on the front like the rest of the commuter do who also have packs. simple.

People have label the Japan as having a discriminatory attitude. I really have the opposite opinion that they not discriminative but scare/phobic. People on here intent to use the word phobic meaning as racist. phobic mean scare. Like today I entered the onsen and all the Japanese got out not with any feeling of disgust, nor make eye contact. nor gaze at me with ill feel either. I can only assume because no eye contact is made that they a scare of me like the unknown. I have witness racism with other society like the American redneck and the Australian bogan. So do known what racism is.

When will they ever learn? Tourism is fine but those in tourist and related industries must have learned the hard way that inbound tourism is subject to factors beyond anyone’s control like pandemic, wars and climate change. Things will never be the same. The modern globalism era ended when Russia invaded Ukraine.

why , the process of getting a car registered in Japan is far more difficult than actually buying a car. there are plenty of rental car companies around. just need a passport and international drivers license.

The other poster was talking about a media story showing a "Kyoto local" seemingly unhappy about or unfortunate to be having to ride a bus with six tourists with backpacks. My point is that if you do not want to ride the bus with other people, you should buy a car. Public transport is for the public, not only snooty people, locals or otherwise. Carrying a backpack on a bus is not a crime, and the media should not suggest it is.

My point was locals who have a problem with other people on public transport should buy a car and stay off such oh-so-terrible buses. Since they are what the media said were "Kyoto locals", they do not need an international license.

The Kyoto government has famously empty coffers, the subway bleeds red ink and the temples pay no tax, so if anything, locals should be grateful that the tourists are there to pay for things, the buses included.

If you are hitting all your targets, you are aiming too low.

Japan always put their target to high on many thing and finally missed way too much.

For example  this one, it barely reach 4%.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/02/08/national/holders-new-japan-working-visas-surge-past-1600-still-way-off-target/

Well, that dismal photo is certainly encouraging. Masked up with a geezer waving a flag. No thank you. Japan Today, is it not possible to post more positive, maskless, happy looking tourists photos? These look like they are going to their funeral.

Love all those numbers never reached and proving how much government is disconnected from the reality haha...

Yes, Make Japan Great Again.

With no immediate prospects for a recovery in Chinese visitors, the government is likely to focus on attracting wealthy travelers from Western countries instead.

seriously doubt that's going to happen

The Japanese authorities should end their discriminatory attitudes and systems if they want the number of foreign visitors to rise so sharply. Treat everyone the same. I'm not optimistic, though. Discriminatory attitudes are ingrained here.

Couldn't agree more. Best post I've heard all day.

OMG……major cities will become horrible to live again. Great for businesses though.

@el

 Every country has separate lines for citizens and non-citizens,

No they don't. Canada has residents and non-residents. When we entered and left Vietnam on this trip, the lines said "All Passports" along with Diplomatic and Air Crew. That's two of lots of examples.

It's more a staffing issue than anything else.

A staffing issue based on a systemic discriminatory attitude. The Japanese citizen area was overstaffed -- and mostly empty in contrast to jam-packed herding done to the foreigners.

This issue was also mentioned by a American journalist around the start of Japan's travel boom initiative, so it's not my imagination.

Where I went, the Japanese had responded to the bad optics by physically blocking and separating the immigration zones with a pre-fabricated office structure. Having read the journalist's complaint, I looked into both areas. Yep, he was right.

Japan aiming for record number of foreign visitors in 2025

It will be just another target that Japan can not achieved, especially compared to prior 2019 where it hits 31 millions

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2020/01/6ec1241c9ca3-update1-foreign-tourists-hit-record-high-in-2019-but-see-limited-growth.html

In 2019, prior to the outbreak of the global coronavirus pandemic, a record 31.88 million tourists visited Japan. But the number fell sharply following the outbreak of COVID-19, totaling only 4.12 million in 2020 and 250,000 in 2021.

Of course it easily be new record if compared to Pandemic level which is just 0.25 millions.

Current tourist should they wear mask or no at all?

I spent 40 minutes waiting in front of two re-entry counters at Narita Airport's immigration counters in mid-January. The foreign visitor line was way worse: hundreds of people who barely moved during my long wait, I noticed.

Meanwhile, the Japanese citizen arrivals breezed through their own vast and empty counter zone with no waits at all.

The Japanese authorities should end their discriminatory attitudes and systems if they want the number of foreign visitors to rise so sharply. Treat everyone the same. I'm not optimistic, though. Discriminatory attitudes are ingrained here.

Over tourism is a huge problem for the populace and the environment in an already grossly over -populated country. Ecology before economy.

And surely Japan will achieve it !!..

Japan is one of the best tourist destinations and one of the best countries to live in the world...

GO JAPAN!!