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No. of foreign visitors to Japan in April reaches record high

24 Comments

The number of foreign visitors to Japan in April was a record 1.765 million, according to figures released by the Japan National Tourism Organization on Wednesday. The figure was 43,3% higher than last year, smashing all previous records.

According to the monthly figures which are continually updated by JNTO, the number of foreign tourists to Japan between January and April totaled 5.9 million.

By country, the greatest number came from China -- 404,000, which was a 110% increase over 2014, followed by Taiwan (up 29.9% to 335,100). Visitors from Thailand, South Korea, Hong Kong and the United States also increased.

Tourism officials attribute the hike in tourism numbers to the weak yen, more international flights in and out of Haneda Airport, as well as the easing of visa regulations for countries in Southeast Asia.

© Japan Today

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24 Comments
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@john. I stated that Japan,s Whaling is harming the Japanese Tourist Industry

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You mean Australian Tourism Industry. JT article above is report about Japanese Tourism Industry.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@John-san,

Sorry to agree with you. Hopefully, your realization has helped you understand that (usually) emotionally motivated comments are quite far from what happens in reality :-)

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My data is drawn from the Whaling Watching tourist Industry in Australia. It pull in around a One billion AUD tourist dollars over the 6 months whale watching season annually. There was no such industry ( Whale Watching) 20 years ago in Australia. With Japan Tourist industry surging ahead my statement about Japan Whaling is unwarranted. The prove is in the latest Japan Tourist industry figures release today.

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The figure was 43,3% higher than last year, smashing all previous records.

@John: Do you have any data that report Japanese tourist industries is harming?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

This makes my rant in the Whaling ITEM from yesterday, very stupid. I stated that Japan,s Whaling is harming the Japanese Tourist Industry.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

There are many many European and American type hotels all over in Japan. I don;t think tourists come to Japan to stay in some kind of dome. Poor people woildn't go oversea tour anyway. They come to Japan to enjoy sightseeing and shoppin etc. USA people love to go hot place to visit. Okinawa, Kyushu. etc.

t

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Nice. :)

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all the more reason a low yen is better than a high, dont expect to see a high yen anytime in the near future.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

If Japan makes inexpensive dormitory arrangement for the tourists throughout the country , it will not only boost tourism in Japan but become one of the main engine driving Japan's economic growth and increase the number of foreign tourists visiting Japan, ten fold in coming years.New Hokuriku Shinkansen connecting Tokyo and Osaka via Mount Fuji is destined to play a vital role and will become star attraction for the tourists.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Come up to Aomori. I live in the northern reaches of Honshu and I only see a foreigner about 2 or 3 times a year. This is the best place in Japan. Onsen are cheap, natural, and plentiful, Tattoos are permitted, hotels are cheap and the weather is cooler in the summer. Not to mention the Nebuta festivals (over 40 different local variations) in August, the fresh and affordable seafood (the Tsugaru Straight provides the best seafood in Japan to Tokyo bar Hokkaido), and the rich Japanese experience (still an untouched land). And in the winter, it is a skiiers wonderland.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Was there from 6th -21st myself - First time. Fantastic - highly recommend. Cherry blossoms at Shinjuku Gyoen national Garden absolutely photo perfect.

Absolute excellent Japanese food they know how to really cook! , Amazing rail transport never in my life did i do so many train trips in one day with ease, good kind people all who I encountered - even in Hospital unexpectedly twice . (First time in Life i had an accident) Slipped on a garden footpath due to rain at one top Tokyo Hotel on a day tour.... days later in Kawaguchi-ko near Mt Fuji they found 5-6 ribs broken, x-rays etc, other was was throat infection. All very reasonable charges for an Australian - had insurance just in case as one hears the horror stories in the US. Japan has a honest medical charges.

So luckily I have no Tattoos - so spent most of my evenings in Onsens soaking in HOT water 41-43°C at the Snow monkey Ryokan some are 50°C - man the locals there are tough to handle the heat.

Toyota and Mazda do English speaking car tours,

Kyoto has the philosophers walk along the canal with shrines. Many great castles abound

Even holidayed in Yufuin or Yufin, rented a car from Nissan rental, speed limits are too low plus crazy traffic so bank on x2 to x3 time wise then the West (hence trains are faster) Driving conditions on the mountains near ASO can border on the extreme with fog, narrow roads with mirrors on blind bends.

Walking in tourist areas Japanese and Australians walk the same side, only Chinese and US tourist go against the tide - LOL!

All in all great time could write 22 pages in detail, will go back again to Ski next time. Highly recommend to people to really experience Japan the way Japanese do, so try new things and gain understanding - like eat real Japanese food the locals (avoid the touristy eats) very healthy tasty and cheap. I managed to avoid Western fast food, so by the time i left I was hooked on Miso soup etc. Drank 1.5L of green tea one day and had 3 green tea ice creams. Even green tea kit-kat tastes yum.

Great for Holiday ... looks like the secret is out!

7 ( +8 / -1 )

i only hear automatic welcome messages in Chinese/Korean but no visitors in sight.

Come down here. Okinawa got close to 1 million foreign visitors last year alone and on days I ride the monorail here it's a veritable tower of babel, Chinese, Taiwanese, Korean, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Vietnam, Spain, Germany, and a bunch of others as well.

Outside of some of the problems with poor manners by some, it's actually pretty cool to see.

Here in Okinawa the No 1 tourist spot for foreigners is Kokusai Street, followed by department stores like Aeon, then convenience stores and No 4 drug stores.

http://www.visitokinawa.jp/

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What is it with Japan's obsession with tourist numbers? Not a day goes by without another statistic of a supposed record. Meanwhile, as desparate migrants drown in their hundreds in the worlds oceans, how many asylum seekers does Japan welcome? How many was it last year? 10? 20?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Wow.. That's some pretty massive numbers..

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There goes any concept of "affordable" airfare to Japan...

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What are the figures for Australia or is this also in the Other Asian Countries % ? This is our 4th visit and this last visit was 23 days and again, we have enjoyed it here. We will be back again.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

This site is positively obsessed with tourist numbers. Not a week goes by without some statistic about tourists being wheeled out. It seems all they see is walking wallets. Of course, if you're an asylum seeker, fleeing for your life, expect to have the door slammed in your face.

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Japan was, is, and will be a good tourist destination for a variety of reasons regardless of exchange rate. Kyoto remains one of the best concentrations of diverse tourist attractions one can find in Asia, and the accessibility is superb.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

90% of the reason is the weak yen. If Japan wants to recover, people need to get used to foreigners (can't have it both ways).

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

By country, the greatest number came from China—404,000 ......spread the word...

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Lets wait and see what will happen in the years to come

no need to wait that longer...these days, i only hear automatic welcome messages in Chinese/Korean but no visitors in sight.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

I happen to be one of them. I stayed from April 1st to April 9th.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Another reason is the loosing of the refunds (consumption tax rebate) they get too.

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