Japan travel industry calls for offering free passports to 18-year-olds

What is there to see in other counties, crime , substance abuse and crap food?

Stay in the safety of the sacred lands. Work hard, do overtime, get nowhere financially, obey, drink alcohol , provided by a conglomerate and please make babies. Arigatou

My first overseas trip was after I turned 16, with a high school group. It was a wonderful experience.

With what money? Have they seen how weak the Yen is?

The price of airfare in Japan is insane. Taxes helped these companies survive during COVID and now they are tacking travelers with ridiculous prices and record profits.

free passports

Free means paid for by everybody else who is not 18.

Japanese passport fees are cheap to begin with compared to other nations.

The reason the tourists came in droves is because of the weak yen and it paid for them to come. For Japanese people who struggle daily to keep afloat with rent and bills makes traveling only a dream with the weak yen and high prices.

Can you give them free airfare, accommodation and food when they get there too?

Most 18 years don’t have a job, and those that do… barely earning ¥1000 per hour or more is not going to give much of a holiday.

Ridiculous statement in this day and age. But when affordable travel is good for the young. I paid for every by myself for my first overseas trip when 18, and that was with a very weak Australian peso. But things were different then in regards to cost of living. I could save a lot.

"We need to bring the number of outbound Japanese travelers to over 2 million people, or the same level as 2019," by 2025, Takahashi said.

Then strengthen the yen to the dollar and give people substantial raises.

You'll see a lot more travelers when that happens.

to motivate more young people to travel abroad

motivation isn't the problem

What's the point of a free passport when Japanese are too poor to travel abroad with weak Yen?

Japan is a tourism destination, not a source.

well passport costs is minimum you need to spend if want travel abroad...very silly move solve nothing.

japanese way as usual.

How about allowing them to have more than only a Japan passport, like most other developed countries?

I'd put that up there with allowing married couples to keep their surnames as fostering a global mindset.

@RougeDolphin

Why travel to another country?

To be enlightened and broaden one's perspective.

140 years ago, it was the Japanese who were studying abroad to be enlightened and contemplate Japan's place in the world, and those people were instrumental in building the empire of Japan, while China and Korea were in isolation and shut their doors closed, became victim to Japan's imperialism as the result.

Today it is the other way around, Chinese and Koreans are all over the world traveling and studying abroad while inward looking Japanese stay home, ignorant of changing outside world and is falling behind.

Just stop with the "free" stuff. They would not be free, other tax payers would be picking up the tab.

The Japanese Government needs to face reality. This "free passport" program for 18 year olds seems good in itself. However, Your typical 18 year old is busy preparing to university, while attending juku. That student hardly has time to hold a job, a minimum wage job if that. Okay, fine. This 18 year old has a free passport. So, where can they travel to and most importantly, who is going to fund this overseas trip? Many parents are just getting by with their living expenses, that they can barely afford an overseas trip (may be to South Korea or Taiwan). Will the government fund the trip?

With what time and money can they travel? With studying and terrible wages what’s the point? Maybe good for someone from a well to do family but everyone else? There’s also the thinking that any time away from school or work is a bad thing. Travel after graduation? Your job prospects shattered. Travel during work, burden on the company. Travel during school, lazy.

The system is busted and offers no benefits

Oh, I get it. I've been reading the thread here since reading the article and was wondering about all the negativity. But then it hit me: Don't do anything at all. Don't try anything at all. That makes sense. Japan is the worst country in the world, so why try to improve things? Why, it would be a waste of time if the same tired old efforts to improve things by their hideous politicians not doing things were not so bad. I get it. Don't do anything. Don't try anything. Works for me.

If they can't afford a passport then the airfare, hotel and food is going to be a real challenge!

If they can't afford a passport then the airfare, hotel and food is going to be a real challenge!

The article is not saying that economic cost for the recipients is the problem, just lack of interest that the industry thinks can be reduced by facilitating the first step. The excuse of not even having a passport becomes moot and people supposedly consider overseas travel a much more likely possibility.

Taking into account many other difficulties I don't think this would have such a strong effect.

Everyone goes to Hawaii!

17%! 17 can you believe it? Well it’s good to travel about and learn more about the world and its people isn’t it?

It may be not much but a dollar is a dollar. Young people can go overseas to Korea, China, Taiwan etc which should not be too expensive unless they want 5 star travel.

Here in Australia a 10-year validity passport (for persons aged 16 and over) costs you AU$398. Everything is bloody expensive down under, mate.

Here in Australia a 10-year validity passport (for persons aged 16 and over) costs you AU$398. Everything is bloody expensive down under, mate.

$US 195 for 1st time adults - 10 years validity for US passports

A couple of weeks ago, we were told the obstacle to yet more tourists coming to Japan was aircraft fuel wholesalers not making any money on increased sales. This time, its not enough Japanese going overseas to provide steady or balanced demand to airlines. All this because we've got to get to 60 million people visiting Japan.

17% with passports will not be evenly spread across the country. Few inaka people will have them.

If they want to encourage students to travel, convince carriers to give incentives to students (student discounts / promo packages)

Start with Korea, work with counterparts in the industry to promote travels between the two countries

Takahashi said he believes gifting new adults a five-year passport will encourage overseas travel

Currently around 24 percent of the Japanese population have passports with just 16 percent who use it for travel. There are various reasons why Japanese don't travel. Some are listed below.

Many have no interest in other countries or cultures. They are happy just being in Japan.

Some have a fear of the unknown and don't want to experience another culture. They are reluctant to get

out of their comfort zone.

Some are not confident English speakers and see it as a big problem.

Many can't afford to travel abroad.

Why not make passports free for everyone in Japan?

If you're 18, you're an adult. If you're an adult wanting to go overseas, you can pay for your own passport - which is the bare minimum requirement for going overseas.

If the govt. wants more people to travel they need make the situation such where young people feel like they can travel. That really comes down to money. How much they earn in their part-time jobs and how far their yen will go once they're overseas.

If you want young people to travel do two things:

1) Raise the minimum wage to something reasonable.

2) Improve the economy, which will result in two things - a stronger yen so their money will go further overseas and optimism in the future so they're not worried about spending what little money they've saved on an overseas trip.

Yesterday, I returned home from an 11-day summer vacation to Tokyo. This trip was my first visit back to Japan post-pandemic since 2019. A constant lament I heard from Japanese during my trip was, "I'd like to go abroad, but the foreign exchange rate makes it prohibitively too expensive to do so." So, handing out free passports is laughable! What good will that do if you don't have enough money for anything when you arrive at your international destination? One interesting thing that a few Japanese told me is that since the Yen/foreign currency exchange rate is so terrible, many Japanese are visiting poorer countries where their Yen goes further such as Laos, Cambodia, etc.

The following are a few observations that I made during my recent trip to Tokyo. My observations are based on several random conversations I had with Japanese across all age demographics, having lived in the Kanto region in 1991 and continuously from 1995-2005 with bi-annual vacation visits from 2005 onwards for "now vs then" comparisons, and general watching of what was going on around me during my stay.

Regardless of time of day or night or activity I was doing (tourist activities, riding on public transportation, shopping, dining, bar hopping, clubbing, etc.), the number of 30-year-old or younger Japanese amongst the general population has noticeably decreased. You read about Japanese not marrying, or when they marry having zero or only one child which are true statements. However, I didn't think it would be so readily noticeably apparent in Tokyo during such a short visit. It definitely was noticeable that the general population is aging, especially for someone like me who has had a fair amount of time in country over the years.

Pre-2000, economically and salary-wise, the Japanese were split into 10% very affluent, 10-15% poor, and 75-80% somewhere in the middle. After my observations and talks with random Japanese people during my visit, I would say that the split now is 5% very in-your-face noticeably affluent, 30% poor, 30% living paycheck to paycheck but not necessarily poor, and 35% somewhere in the middle. With economic conditions like that plus the unfavorable foreign exchange rates, who can afford to travel abroad except the very affluent?

Without the massive influx of foreign tourists, nightlife (and probably retail shopping) in Tokyo would be NON-EXISTANT because there isn't enough demand from the local Japanese population due to the decline in numbers of younger people and overall decrease in available disposable income amongst the general population. I visited countless bars, restaurants, and dance clubs in Tokyo during my stay. Shibuya has become the new Roppongi. Even Shinjuku was overrun by foreigners. Bar and dance club customers were on average 50+% foreign and it's hard to notice sometimes because I include Chinese, Koreans, and other nationalities with Asian populations who unless you have a trained eye or notice the language they're speaking tend to pass for Japanese.

"Foreigners Ruining Japan" - I have a lot to say about that statement, but I'll keep it short. Japanese in the 1980 and early -90s were nuisances when they traveled abroad. Now, the tables have turned. The Chinese, Koreans, and others from all over the planet are here in Japan. Yes, I did "experience" and observe jostling of myself and other customers while shopping. Yes, I did hear other nationalities barking at each at the top of their lungs in many foreign languages while out and about (annoying, but normal in their culture at home). Yes, I did experience product unavailability because of foreign explosive shoppers buying everything ((I have a particular style of Yoshida Kaban - Porter wallet that I've used since 1997. Every Porter Flagship store in Tokyo (Omotesandou, Tokyo Station, Ueno) along with 4 separate department stores I visited were sold out and I had to travel all the way to the Porter (POTR) store in Yokohama Minato Mirai to buy what I was looking for. Additionally, I think the Asian tourists are single-handedly keeping Shibuya/Omotesandou/Harajyuku afloat with their Bathing Ape, AAPE, Stussy, Supreme, etc. shopping sprees)). But, although annoying, I have to look at things objectively. If these tourists were not here buying up everything in sight, who would? - the Japanese? I don't think so because they don't have the numbers population-wise nor salary-wise to do so.

In closing, unless something or somethings drastically change, Japan will continue in their slow spiral into irrelevancy. The Taro(s) and Hanako(s) of the world may want to marry, have kids, own a home, etc. but with the current employment and economic realities it's impossible. If they can't do those things, how can they afford to think about traveling abroad. Free passports aren't going to change anything.

A 10-year Japanese passport is ¥16,000 or ¥1,600 pa. If they can't afford that they can't afford the train ticket to the airport.

My UK passport from Japan cost £150 (about ¥28,000).

My UK passport from Japan cost £150 (about ¥28,000).

Your UK passport is not from Japan.

It's from the UK.

This is another scam by the travel industry very similar to the Debts scams and bankruptcies teens are struggling with.

So now they want teens to get a free passport or they will pay the fees if the teen will sing up with them.

This is heading towards some major problems and scams by both industries The credit and loans companies are joining forces with the Travel Industry,

Buckle up Parents.

You're right Woody. Just back this article up to this one, "Lowered adult age sees rise in young Japanese struggling with debt". and staple them together.

And I understand that the reality of the rise in the cost of living outside of Japan has been a slap in the face for working-holidayers and ex-patriots.

The Ripper!

My UK passport from Japan cost £150 (about ¥28,000).

> Your UK passport is not from Japan.

It's from the UK.

Renewing a British passport from Japan,

The application for a British Passport starts from Japan for those Brits living here. The cost of the application from Japan was £150. Probably the cost has increased. The alternative is to visit the UK and the cost of the passport is less. About half of the cost. The cost depends on which country the application is made.

This means that Japanese people are not really into travelling abroad. Quite interesting actually.

"10-year validity passport (for persons aged 16 and over) costs you AU$398."

Sad to hear this. You would think with the improvements in technology an AI this cost should actually drop.

Renewing a British passport from Japan,

The passport is from the UK, not Japan.

The application for a British Passport starts from Japan for those Brits living here.

Not if they apply from a different country.

The cost of the application from Japan was £150. Probably the cost has increased.

The cost has decreased.

The Ripper!

Renewing a British passport from Japan,

The passport is from the UK, not Japan.

The application for a British Passport starts from Japan for those Brits living here. Cannot be obtained without using Japanese services.

Not if they apply from a different country.

Well I wasn't commenting about other countries

The cost of the application from Japan was £150. Probably the cost has increased.

The cost has decreased.

Good, you are so knowledgeable. What is the cost?

Cool, the J travel industry wants to give free stuff to J teenagers in this case a passport - too bad free is never free because others are subidising it by having their own costs hiked. Do this and passport fees for those not in that age group will rise to pay for the shortfall.

As for all the young Japanese must travel rhetoric - so many countries that the young Japanese visited about a decade ago have changed for the worst. The US is less safe with tent cities in LA and drugs and pimping going on in full view, often with a violent edge to it. That's only one example. There are many experiences that young Japanese can do without.

If they go to Europe or Australia they'll see how these countries are fast losing the cultural aspects and societies that made them special. The west is importing millions of people from the third and developing worlds and making a global uniformity where the unique cultures have to bow to the demands of latecomers who insist their cultures be accommodated no matter how unsuitable or dysfunctional or unwilling to fit in with the 21st century.

Much of that comes from those who don't have the smarts, skills or money to migrate genuinely but call themselves asylum seekers, claim where they live is too dangerous but go back there for visits as soon as they are on the welfare gravy trains in their new countries. Refugee intakes that are official have also disrupted the west with inter-ethnic conflicts draining police resources and bringing old hatreds. Many young Japanese I know have said they don't want to go abroad as many western countries have changed so they are no longer special and too unsafe.

Enjoy Japan and its unique features which are being cherished by the Japanese. While it lasts and that depends upon what happens in government.

The application for a British Passport starts from Japan for those Brits living here. Cannot be obtained without using Japanese services.

No, Brits living in Japan can apply for their passports when they are in other countries. No need for "Japanese services" if applying while in Australia for example.

Well I wasn't commenting about other countries

Yes you were when you try to exclude other options.

Good, you are so knowledgeable. What is the cost?

Good you're listening to me.

Now go use some research skills and provide the information here.

The Ripper!

Now go use some research skills and provide the information here.

So you know nothing John Snow.

I'd like to know how many 18's we are talking about each year if passport gets free for them.

It won't change anything IMHO.

86€ (less than 14000¥) for French 10 year passport in France;)

WOW there was an article that talked about the lowering of the age has caused many youngsters to go bankrupt using credit cards. Now the Japan travel industry is calling for offering free passports to 18-year-olds. That's really suicidal giving a kid a credit card and a passport. The travel industry and the banks really have a plan, as one person wrote its only going to get worse!

the head of a travel industry group said 

The head of "a" travel industry group should say something about price gouging during peak seasons in which airfare doubles...

The cost of a passport has little to do with the reluctance of young people to travel abroad

The application for a British Passport starts from Japan for those Brits living here. Cannot be obtained without using Japanese services.

Brits living in Japan know they can apply for their passport from other countries. There is no restriction for doing so only from Japan.

Brits living in Japan know they can apply for their passport from other countries. There is no restriction for doing so only from Japan.

Brits need to apply from the country they are living in not the country they are visiting.