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© KYODOJapan gets 120,400 foreign visitors in June, but only 252 tourists
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118 Comments
Newgirlintown
I keep hearing Japanese people talking about how foreigners are going to bring coronavirus in. The irony is that the tourists are the ones who are probably more at risk off catching it off the local population.
plasticmonkey
If tourists arrive with proof of vaccination and negative Covid test, what's the problem? Why limit them to these silly North Korea-style group tours?
sakurasuki
252 tourists? What Japan already did to boost their tourism after Pandemic? Proposing group tour, only country in the world who really did that.
At least this time they won't blame foreigners for that, just check daily commute in Japan big cities. Still wan to blame foreigner for that?
Yubaru
No you don't. Just sounds like you really dont know what's going on here and are just looking for excuses
No one has been talking about foreigners bringing in corona since the first real explosion in cases here in Okinawa, and the Gov. looking to find someone to blame, blamed the US military. Soon that passed by as well.
factchecker
Drop the stupid pre departure pcr tests for triple jabbed passangers. Covid is already here and being spread by Japanese. The horse has bolted. Time to get on with living.
Strangerland
I've heard foreigners claiming Japanese people are talking about this. I never heard a single Japanese person say it, in person, or in the media.
Methinks it's victim complex.
JTC
Anyone visiting Japan being fully vaccinated won't catch anything off a local right ?
120k foreign visitors were here on Business ? Did they leave too, or are they on a short-term visas ?
L
If this is just stating statistics, then there really isn't much to be surprised at, since it's just stating the results of their rules.
But if they are trying to be sad about not enough foreigners entering, it's a little silly. How many people can afford the packaged tours? How many people want to me watched constantly while on "vacation"? Also it's July/August. The hottest time in Japan. And not many events have started up again. Not much to entice a trip?
I really don't know why this article keeps popping up as something new when they keep restating the same thing for months...
theFu
Russia has always been like that for visitors from some countries. And even in non-pandemic times, tourists aren't free to travel many places inside mainland China.
So, if being like those countries is the goal for Japan, that has been achieved.
Pre-pandemic, I would love to travel to Japan with the exchange rate as it is now, but I try to travel in spring and fall, not summer, to avoid crowds and heat.
obladi
sounds like there was a backlog from the travel restrictions and these people were waiting. all in all a good sign that things are moving toward the new "normal"
Kyo wa heiwa dayo ne
It's because the intelligent folks have figured out if they get a business visa they can visit Japan.
wolfshine
Looks like those 252 tourists are solely responsible for the 100,000+ daily Covid cases! Once in a century pandemic! Close the borders NOW! Never reopen!
GANBARE NIPPON!
kurisupisu
The Japanese government is failing to acknowledge the truth and that is Corona is rampant in Japan and rising.
Clearly, foreigners are not part of the problem now and measures taken months ago are not the measures that should be in place now.
Before an international trip, I am more concerned of infection here than my destination.
If a fourth or fifth vial of Moderna or Pfizer were enough to prevent all these infections then there would not be any precautionary measures in place.
Perhaps, the PCR test is the best measure available at present and even that test is open to criticism.
Vaccines just aren’t saving the day as the new variants eg BA.2.75 et al; are just not the same as Delta or Omicron.
I don’t expect any changes to occur for tourism except for the big government linked tourism firms to keep receiving big wads of yen…,
mtuffizi
sure there will be lots of tourist if japan open to all instead just tour groups.
Nemo
Not ALL of this is a result of bad internal policy making. Pre-pandemic, Chinese tourists made up the largest group of inbound passengers by far.
Their own government will not allow them to leave the country.
Not much the Japanese government can do about that even if it wanted to (which it apparently does not).
But there are multiple industries that could certainly use the business. One would hope that the limitations will be lifted in a reasonable and rational amount of time (although this "one" is not holding out too much hope for that...)
WA4TKG
Lol
Yubaru
One has to understand that the covid vaccinations do not prevent anything. No matter how many times a person receives one, or two, or three, or four, or even five! You still can catch it, and still pass it on to someone else.
Eastman
i am not surprised at all these few hundreds or tourists are pathetic number from any point of view.
divinda
Funny to see how NHK reports this:
Foreign visitors to Japan top 100,000 for 3rd straight month
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220720_25/
Pukey2
You seem to have conveniently forgotten the situation at the beginning of the pandemic when some stores refused access to foreigners, and even PRs were refused entry back to Japan, leaving them stranded without their Japanese families.
And those 'visitors' are not visitors. They're here to live temporarily and do the menial jobs no locals want to do.
Kyo wa heiwa dayo ne
Finally you got something correct !
ian
Well whatever data they may have gleaned from their little group tour experiment surely are of no use now
G&T
I appreciate the Japanese government’s cautiousness towards opening up. You can better control a trickle than a flood. With coronavirus numbers rising again, I am confident that the current immigration controls are on target.
John Noun
That's absolute nonsense for a start.
Where do some people even get these ideas?
maledae2
Other countries are already accepted corona as part of their lives and open up their borders with no testing and quarantine , I don't understand why Japan still can't do it as an advance country. Many countries have their fair share of high infection rates..but they don't shut their borders so strictly again.
JohnSmith
Numbers are rising everywhere - with or without immigration controls.
Time to open up.
therougou
I'd gladly do a test but the one they are requiring in Japan specifc format is just a big scam.
ian
If what everyone says that no one wants to visit Japan anymore is true then there's no need to open up
Awhaleoftime
Probably not, since tourist are in groups and have almost no contact with the Japanese. In fact, they are more likely to bring in, and alot of them are testing positive.
AramaTaihenNoYouDidnt
Employed at a vocational (technical?) college, one prime course lately is Hospitality and Tourism. The moment learners view this, they will question whether their investment was worthy. Hoping for a better outcome.
Awhaleoftime
Because, Japan has the right to set any rules for its borders. If you dont like them you dont have to come to Japan. Japan's borders Japan's rules.
ian
Won't be true no matter how many times you say it
Awhaleoftime
and a Business visa is hard to get since you have to employee of the company to get one.
asdfghjkl
Good. Please control tourist entry. Japanese government should do what they think is right. Focus on promoting domestic tourism first. That would also make the tourist industry more stable, sustainable with a better balance of domestic and foreign.
Awhaleoftime
The only ones are sad are the foreigners. I don't see any see Japanese crying about the policy. The Japanese are happy.
ian
I always hear foreigners say Japanese say foreigners bring the virus in
Kumagaijin
What is the criteria for increasing the number of tourists or even just going back to normal? Covid is not going to disappear anytime soon. Its not going to make a difference not allowing tourists.
Eastman
Japan have to forget to get many tourists this year.Thanks to own covid rules for visitors and also thanks to increased covid cases which both drives away potential tourists from visit.Just weak yen is not enough to attract masses.
Mark
Tourists, Hahaha, when was the last time you went on a tour ? and who is crazy enough to travel with all the restrictions and trouble abroad ?
Better hold on till about 2025.
Eastman
honestly if i am potential tourist i will opt for some other destination say Thailand...where you are more welcome than here
ian
Yeah so no need to open the border for tourists
kurisupisu
@Yubaru
Don’t you think that it is more than strange that the vaccines are never ending?
As I child, I caught a nasty virus which causes chickenpox which I have never had again.
My immune system obviously protects me against any reinfection.
The governments of the world suggest and sometimes enforce (including Japan) multiple vaccines on their populations.
Present vaccines are clearly not effective against new variants in the same way we all catch the common cold; viral mutations.
I am begining to seriously wonder.
What is it really all for?
Randy Johnson
I keep hearing Japanese people talking about how foreigners are going to bring coronavirus in. The irony is that the tourists are the ones who are probably more at risk off catching it off the local population.
Yes. This is true. A few months back during the then latest upsurge in covid cases we had a typical scheduled meeting at my company only to have the meeting head start by blurting out that the upsurge was due to non-japanese and he was literally physically shaking and upset because he truly believed it.
I just glared at him with the how dare you look and for the remaining time of the meeting he wouldn't dare look in my direction.
To this day he still holds that ignorant misguided believe and needless to say our relationship hasn't been the same since.
What a shame.
Aly Rustom
I'll bet Japan would change its rules REALLY fast if they were treated the same way they treat others.
No one is sad. Most of us are already here.
Because they can still travel. I would love to see the US not allow the Japanese to travel to Hawaii. Reciprocal treatment. You'll see how loud the Japanese will start crying. they'll start screaming
as_the_crow_flies
It would help if the article used less confusing terms. It's confusing calling someone who is going to come and live here for three, four, five years a 'foreign visitor'. It would make much more sense to use 'visitor' to mean someone coming on holiday, to see family, or on business, and call the others inbound foreign students or workers. For the average Japanese, a furriner is a furriner, and they make no distinctions, but this kind of article is confusing and perpetuates mistaken ideas about the situation. It would make sense for inbound workers/students to quarantine at their workplace or campus for a few days, to help slow down the spread of new variants and protect the health system in the current situation of soaring infections.
The North Korea-style 'guided tour' idea was dumb from the start, and even dumber with the current soaring figures.
The Japanese government response is spectacularly out of sync with reality, and even the advice of their own experts - stupendous dithering in sporadic dysfunctional flip-flops, as someone above put it so well.
David Brent
Until Japan starts allowing tourists to enter the country, other countries should stop letting in Japanese travelers. Japan always gets a free pass! Why?!
Aly Rustom
Its been that way from day 1. And not just about the pandemic. Every single response they've had to anything has been horrendous
Awhaleoftime
No we would not. We would respect America's decision, Because Hawaii is America. Thus America's rules must be both followed and respect as Japan's rules must be both respected and followed.
Aly Rustom
If the Japanese had the same restrictions put on THEM to travel like THEY do to the world, they would open up quickly.
Very quickly
Aly Rustom
Pure hypocrisy from Japan. They don't open their borders but still travel freely to the west. I suppose it is the west's fault for not putting the same restrictions on Japanese travelers.
Golden rule
Japan has it as well
黄金律
kohakuebisu
I wish people wouldn't talk in all-or-nothing terms.
I would like the border to open to independent tourists, my livelihood depends on it, but I think its fine to force people to get tested before flying here. Given that vaccination helps avoid hospitalization for folk who catch Covid in Japan, I think its okay to encourage inbound tourists to get vaccinated as well. Just ditch the testing on arrival. Recommending people wear masks in Japan is fine too, given that it is Japanese etiquette. The more people say things like "Japan must open completely and no more face nappies (masks)!", the longer it will take for the border to open. There have to be compromises.
Aly Rustom
agree with you. But please allow me to play devil's advocate.
Soccer fans packed in - Japan Today
If you go to this article, you will see that masking is not really followed that much by the Japanese themselves anymore. Also, just last weekend the wife took the kids to see their grandparents so I had the house to myself. I thought I could do with a beer in a quiet corner of an izakaya as long as I could socially distance, but EVERY SINGLE Izakaya, Ramen shop, and restaurant I walked into was PACKED with TONS of people and those that were walking around to and from the toilets weren't even masking up, and it looked just like anywhere else in the world with people pretty much ignoring the mask social distancing mandates.
I'm all for etiquette as long as its applied equally across the board and not with one rule for the Japanese and another for the foreigners.
Steven Mccarthy
The borders are open ! What’s the question?
Bitch'n Squid
Have you seen prices the prices for airline tix + lodging? I can't speak for anyone except myself but prices are through the roof.
Alex
There is alot of scamming around the "business" visits...just open up people are find many ways to get in...
Rodney
you do know that being vaccinated doesn’t stop transmission and infection right? You do know that PCR tests are 60-80% accurate right? You do understand about ongoing variations right?
my partner just tested positive on Monday. The “so called” test can’t even detect which variant. Luckily only sore throat and fatigue, but it would be nice to know if she will suffer Long Covid.
Rodney
Allowing intern workers for cheap labor. Companies first. It’s like the EUs plan to increase the cost of domestic gas so people can’t afford and companies can continue.
purple_depressed_bacon
Nobody wants to subject themselves to a North Korean style holiday after 2+ years of being under lockdown and restricted to a local geographical location. They'll be going to places that allow them free reign to do, see, and go wherever they like without a chaperone so it's not at all surprising that Japan's not seeing a huge influx of international tourists.
Gareth Joyce
100% some crafty techniques being used to get into Japan for 'business' reasons. There are a few automotive Youtubers I follow who got in for 'business' reasons but in reality they needed 2 weeks of content. Some guy reckoned it took 3 months and help from people on the inside to get his business visa.
fango
One thing is absolutely clear; international tourism won't be making a strong come back to the country's desperate travel sector any time soon.
Tepid interest in restrictive group tours which are typically only popular with the Chinese market means the government needs to fast-track an action plan to let free-moving travellers back into the country. This was a step everyone in the travel industry was crossing their fingers for after the elections earlier this month. Unfortunately, the 7th wave pushing case numbers through the roof couldn't come at a worse time - the government has now scrapped their domestic tourism initiative, and it's very clear that their "watch and act accordingly" strategy towards opening the border is a shaky house of cards resting on the back of domestic tourism programs being rolled out without case numbers shooting up.
By the time this wave subsides, domestic initiatives resume, and the government "watches and acts accordingly" for a little longer, we will be right on the doorstep of winter and an 8th surge.
Alan
For all those people claiming foreign people are bringing the virus in, can they explain the reentry of Japanese citizens going abroad then returning ?.
What is the difference ?
purple_depressed_bacon
The Japanese are happy because -their movements are not being restricted. They can travel to loads of places, pretty as they please. I'd bet you plenty that if countries restricted Japanese tourists from entering their country or placed restrictions on their travel, they'd be singing a different tune. These tourist rules and restrictions Japan has put in place is nothing short of hypocrisy and discrimination. Do they not realize that when the locals come back from their travels abroad they have as much chance of catching and spreading the virus as tourists?
John Noun
I despise Japan's one rule for them, one rule for others, policy. Despise it.
Hate that Japanese can go anywhere they like, but it's hard for others to enter Japan.
I despise it. Would love Japan to be called out on this by anyone.
Kyo wa heiwa dayo ne
Correction - Hawaii is a state in the USA - the Aloha state! Although technically Hawaii doesn't exist anymore after it was invaded and colonized.
And in case your still confused America is multiple continents and many countries.
Your referring to a state in a north American country called the USA
dmhondz
252 out of 120,400 and many are "technical interns" from Asian countries. Wonder why?
Kyo wa heiwa dayo ne
That explains alot !
And nothing at all.
ghosthand
Hurry up I want to go back homu!!
WA4TKG
What a joke
kurisupisu
Every single time I have been out of Japan and back on arrival the Covid regulations have changed-do they know what they are doing?
WhiskeyGalore
What is not mentioned was that when the borders opened to international tourists, there were barely any tours in place. Tour companies got little guidance from the Kishida government on what to do and how to manage tours. By the time they got that guidance, it was too late for numbers to rise in June. In addition, the time to get visas (a week in Australia) adds to the delay. No wonder that figure is low.
Now, look at the other figure that was mentioned:
Now the companies have got their act together, you are going to see that number of international tourists rise sharply.
You would be surprised- there are many people who don't want to travel without guides, and there are some so desperate to return to Japan they will go on these tours.
hattorikun
“ Do they not realize that when the locals come back from their travels abroad they have as much chance of catching and spreading the virus as tourists?”
They do, which is why a negative test result is required before boarding to be back to Japan… this is a pain but just one measure to limit the risk..
hattorikun
I am not traveling anytime soon, not until this craze and revenge travel cool down.
Joe Unc
Tourists do not want to be treated as infected inferior specimens. Unnecessary testing, masked, monitored, guided, supervised, lectured. Japan’s true colours.
Alfie Noakes
Lol, a guy literally said this to me this morning. I asked him if he knew why there's been a sudden spike in new case numbers in Osaka and he said, "It's the tourists."
Yubaru
You seem to read something but not comprehend what was written and assume something different. You are talking about the beginning of the pandemic, reread what I wrote, SINCE the first explosion in cases. The beginning had no huge jump in cases, it jumped when omicron started!
Yubaru
Yeah, same as down here in Okinawa, DOMESTIC tourists! Domestic travel has not had a slow down and is causing a huge increase in numbers of infected.
He is right, tourists, but not the foreign one's, as there arent enough to matter!
ian
That's an eminently important distinction,
Alfie Noakes
He meant the foreign ones! I told him there weren't enough to matter and he changed the subject, then he went off.
Yotomaya
I have never heard anyone say it this bluntly.
What I have heard quite a bit is people talking about how Japanese people have "better manners", are "cleanlier" and "orderly" (majime), especially when the pandemic was less tragic here than in some other parts of the world. That at mostly a complete lack of sympathy for the plight of those who got locked out because of Japan's unreasonable re-entry restrictions for the first few months.
The implications are quite clear to anyone who's lived here for a while, but the wording tends to be less hostile, at least in my experience.
Logical_Fallacy_Killer
That's a wild assertion. I keep hearing the exact opposite. Now what?
What good is it to make wild assertions? Corona is here, now we have to work on dealing with it rather than wasting time pointing fingers and blaming.
justasking
252 tourists with 10,000 ushers and guides.
Guides are holding hands to keep the 252 tourists away from the general public.
CrashTestDummy
From roughly 2.8 million foreign visitors in June 2019 to 120,000 in June of 2022. Stark difference. Lots of money in Japan tourism revenue lost in last couple of years.
J @Tokyo
If it wasn't already obvious, the Japanese gov't is slow playing the reopening to tourists because inbound tourism is not popular with the Japanese people.
Outside of someone with direct business interests in tourism, the Japanese people don't ever want to see mass tourism here on the scale it was in 2019 - and I don't blame them. It was too much, too fast and risked destroying the places heavily frequented by tourists. Selling out to tourism under the perceived threat of losing GDP is not worth it. Just ask Thailand, the more you cater to the masses, the worse it gets. Keep tourism to Japan exclusive, high-end and overall low in quantity. It's better for the local people and the environment.
ian
Well can you show the data or facts on which you based this on or is this common sense that everybody knows?
Yotomaya
@ian
I don't need to show anything. I don't make the rules affecting others' lives. The fact the the ones who do make the restrictions don't is the issue here.
From the top of my head, I remember the tantrum the foreign minister threw when asked about the scientific basis on banning re-entry to non-Japanese residents a couple of years ago. He ended up belittling the journalist and then simply dodging the question.
ian
Well you were saying the restrictions have no basis I just want the confirm if you have basis yourself thanks
ian
Maybe it wasn't clear
You said it's a fact the ones who made/make the rules have no basis, you must have a basis for saying that or well, it's not a fact.
That's what I was asking about.
No need to answer though it's obvious there's no basis
Thunderbird2
@Larr Flint
I think problem isn't strict rules and testing, the problem is organized tours.
No one wants to come on organized tour we don't live in 60s or 70s.
Exactly - if nothing changes re these tours by September I'm rebooking for next year. No way am I spending a three week holiday stuck with being told where I can and cannot go with a group of people I don't know and do not choose to be with. My country opened up to tourists months ago (including Japanese tourists who can go where they want)... just seems silly.
Antiquesaving
Actually yes they are saying exactly that.
I am a member of our local and ward business association.
This year is my turn to be a committee member.
And at nearly all our meetings I have had to argue with members that the virus is already spreading and permitting tourists will not change anything.
The constant argument towards my defense of foreign tourists is that:
" Japanese are cleaner" "we wash everyday and wash our hands more " etc...
I know plenty of businesses that do not need foreign tourists and most believe tourist will spread the virus.
GBR48
This is political. It has nothing to do with Covid. No other G7 country is doing this.
Kishida has erased a $44bn pa tourist sector without so much as a vote, even though LDP dominance means he would win such a vote.
How much compensation has he paid out to the sector?
theFu
Subject: Travel inside mainland China
First, we don't expect to visit military bases or border control areas. That wouldn't be allowed in any country.
https://www.travelawaits.com/2692312/things-to-know-before-visiting-tibet/
Special Tibetan Travel Permit required. Must use a certified Tibet travel agency, which controls everything. Once inside, everything is scheduled. No wandering.
https://www.travelchinacheaper.com/which-parts-of-china-require-a-permit-to-travel want to visit the ancient desert ruins in southern Xinjiang? Nope. It is part of a "politically sensitive area." Rules change and the whim of the local authority can determine what is allowed. In China, if there is a CCP document that says drinks aren't allowed on the train platform, but there is a soda machine on the platform, expect to have the drink confiscated. I've experienced this myself. It was like the guard just waited until we all bought drinks, put them into our luggage. When the train arrived, decided our family needed to be searched. The fact that it was 35°C didn't matter. At least they waited until we were out of sight before they drank them.
Jind
Won't visit Japan till Stoneage restrictions are removed and visitors are treated with respect.
Strangerland
I'm sure if you can just get someone in charge to read your comment, they'll realize their mistake and open the borders. At the very least, they should make an exception for you. But only you. Well, and others like you who don't agree with how Japan operates itself as a country.
Cognac
based on what ?
Cognac
you can stay in your country, no problem for us
ps : the "stoneage restrictions" are lockdowns and Japan didn't do that
Newgirlintown
Cognac:
based on what ?
Based on conversations with Japanese people. I do live in Japan you know.
The Apartment
Japanese should not be allowed to leave Japan....
we can't come in...
they blame tourists....
Japanese can freely visit here possibly get covid and take it back...
If they are so worried about Covid infection rates then do not let anyone out of Japan...
Miku Fan USA
I now have now received FOUR corona shots (2 primary, 2 booster) here in the United States. I have visited Japan 6 times since 2017 - 2019 for a cumulative 125 nights, have climbed Fujisan 2x times, and completed the Kumano Kodo in Wakayama-ken. I respect the culture and people of Japan, and long for the day when I will be able to return as a solo-tourist.
I have an airline ticket to Japan purchased for August 31. I am stupid, right?
It really saddens me that Japan scape-goats gaijin for the rapidly increasing numbers of ba.5. They restrict respectful and eager gaijin such as me from traveling to Japan, literally forcing people (again, like me) to consider other travel destinations. So sad for the Japanese tourism economy!
Sorry, I'm just venting. I've cancelled this same airline ticket 5 times so far in 2020 and onward. Stupid me.
Strangerland
You should complain to the people who decided to have a pandemic, getting in the way of your travel plans.
N. Knight
All the smart tourists are coming in on business visa's so they don't have to troll around with stupid super spreader tour groups.
That's what I did. One business meeting (albeit a drunk one) and I'm free to play golf, go sailing, stuff myself with Tajima gyu and drink myself half to death for the next two or three months.
N. Knight
Yes... Must be part of his evil scheme, Darth Kishida. Came to power with a hidden agenda - wipe out the tourist sector! Make Japan poorer!
Thanks... It all makes perfect sense now
N. Knight
I'm on my third... Takes a week.
Lukas Buol
I supported the boarder closure and subsequent separation from my partner until it was confirmed by Science the new Covid-19 variants are less deadly and unlikely result in an overloading of the health system. Now it's just Sakoku Politics. Do we need another Commodore Matthew Perry to sail gunships into Tokyo Bay aiming at the Imperial Palace "asking" to open these boarders ?!?
Sheikh Yerboaby
WHAAAAT?!?! No one wants to go on these ridiculous tours?! Shocking I tell ya, SHOCKING!!