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Number of foreign visitors to Japan up 16% to record 2.6 mil in May

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This is one of the biggest reasons why Japanese companies like ANA and JAL changed how they call Taiwan to China-Taiwan, it's all about the money!

8 ( +10 / -2 )

Set target now at 30 million tourist this year. 50 million for 2020. I am happy foreign tourists are coming to Japan and spending money. Please JTA keep attracting the richest ones!!

-16 ( +2 / -18 )

Visitors from China topped the list at 668,600, up 29.3 percent. Those from South Korea rose 14.6 percent to 640,400, followed by Taiwan at 440,100, up 8.0 percent, and Hong Kong at 190,500, up 4.9 percent.

Of the 2,675,000 total these 4 countries' tourists were at 1,939,600 meaning a total of 735,400 people from the rest of the world visited Japan.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Attracting the richest ones sounds pretty snobby.

Aly, isn't that only natural. Paris must draw a pretty large majority of its visitors from the continent. Canadians from America and so on. I know when it comes time to travel nearby Asian destinations seem far more attractive. Less hours in the air, far cheaper airfare. Of course, I have to go to the US to see family. This summer = 400,000 yen just for airfare for the 3 of us! A little hop to Seoul or Taipei, with all the money I'd save sure sounds better.

That said, there certainly seems no shortage of Westerners in my town or throughout Kansai. I can barely walk 30 minutes anywhere in Kobe without seeing a gringo. A far cry from my first stint here in 2000.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

Welcome! The best way to promote peace in my opinion.

Go see, experience, and hopefully realize we are all humans.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

jcjapan

In Hyogo theres always been a large foreign and also western population of ex pats man. I was born in Sannomiya. I’d bet that between 5%-10% of Kitano is foreign settled and owned. Many Indian friends too!

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Aly, isn't that only natural. Paris must draw a pretty large majority of its visitors from the continent. Canadians from America and so on. I know when it comes time to travel nearby Asian destinations seem far more attractive. Less hours in the air, far cheaper airfare. Of course, I have to go to the US to see family. This summer = 400,000 yen just for airfare for the 3 of us! A little hop to Seoul or Taipei, with all the money I'd save sure sounds better.

yes. You're absolutely right

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Attracting the richest ones sounds pretty snobby.

especially when they want to attract them, take their money, and then look down on them and complain

3 ( +8 / -5 )

thepersoniamnow, yes and no. When P&G relocated most of their overseas staff to Singapore, the city lost a huge chunk of its expat population. Rokko Island is now a rundown shell of its former self. Of course, many remain, working at Eli Lilly, Riken etc. I live near Shindai, so of course I see heaps of exchange students. And many of my friends are long-time Korean and Chinese residents. Anyway, I was mostly referring to Westerners, whose numbers, at least corporate employees, remain lower than they were in 1994.

As for tourists, while still a far cry from Arashiyama or Shinsaibashisuji, downtown Kobe is seeing more and more tour buses. Over Golden Week I visited the Herb Garden and also Mosaic for dinner--not the best decision. Holy smokes, the crowds. I est. nearly half were from overseas.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

especially when they want to attract them, take their money, and then look down on them and complain

Bingo!

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Good all around for Japan.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

especially when they want to attract them, take their money, and then look down on them and complain

Exactly! Down here in Yatsushiro, we are seeing an increase of cruise ships, mainly from Asia. Has been great for the local economy (not sure why here, not much to see nor do), then the local YouMe Town decided they wanted to play the racist card and try to ban only the Chinese tourists from entering and shopping in the centre, because of their lack of 'cleanliness'. As always, it the old 'jichans'.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Readers, please stay on topic. This story is about foreign visitors to Japan, not foreign residents.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Aly Rustom: Of the 2,675,000 total these 4 countries' tourists were at 1,939,600 meaning a total of 735,400 people from the rest of the world visited Japan.

A decent number of the 735,400 will also be other Asians.

However, turn on Japanese tv and it's look! A white person eating raamen! They say its oishii!

5 ( +5 / -0 )

especially when they want to attract them, take their money, and then look down on them and complain

That's pointlessly negative. Residents everywhere complain about tourists, that's not unique to Japan. Europeans used to complain endlessly about American tourists. On top of that, Chinese and Korean tourists are often not among the best behaved.

In general there is a worldwide trend toward more international tourists. Was a time when you could visit various beautiful islands and beaches in relative solitude. Nowadays the same beaches are packed out with poorly behaved Western tourists who act like they are in Disneyland.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Need to improve facilities, transport system etc in tandem with this.  Huge increase puts strain and makes some of the tourist attractions frankly unattractive due to crowds.  Same phenomenon in Singapore and other destinations that have been promoting tourism.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

That's pointlessly negative.

Not pointlessly. I was refering to a negative post on here.

On top of that, Chinese and Korean tourists are often not among the best behaved.

NOW who's pointlessly negative?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Aly Rustom

Tourists are still tourists no matter where there come from. Are you trying to diminish Japan's successes in this case? Or do only Western tourists matter?

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Aly Rustom: Of the 2,675,000 total these 4 countries' tourists were at 1,939,600 meaning a total of 735,400 people from the rest of the world visited Japan.

A decent number of the 735,400 will also be other Asians.

Very true. An excellent point. If we actually factor in the visitors as well as residents from non asian countries, they are actually very small. Unfortunately though, we tend to stand out like boy scouts in Kabakura.

However, turn on Japanese tv and it's look! A white person eating raamen! They say its oishii!

Or the friggin eikaiwa which always feature a white guy and a Japanese girl...

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Tourists are still tourists no matter where there come from. Are you trying to diminish Japan's successes in this case? Or do only Western tourists matter?

First of all,

Aly Rustom: Of the 2,675,000 total these 4 countries' tourists were at 1,939,600 meaning a total of 735,400 people from the rest of the world visited Japan.

That is my comment. I simply quoted the article and did the math to get a better perspective on the big picture.

A decent number of the 735,400 will also be other Asians.

I did not make that comment. that was kohakuebisu

please properly read the posts and the articles so you can refrain from making stupid comments like this.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Lots of grafetti lately. Not japanese. Cant book. Hotel for summer vacation. Izakawa is more than 20percent more expensive. Plastic bags of junk food and alcohol on many street corners.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

On top of that, Chinese and Korean tourists are often not among the best behaved.

NOW who's pointlessly negative?

Not pointless. Stating a well-observed phenomena.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

Not pointless. Stating a well-observed phenomena.

well-observed? by who? you? that's not a well observed phonomena- that's a well observed bias

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Unless you're directly making money from it, mass tourism sucks. It always makes me think of that Worsdworth line from one of his poems: "The world is too much with us..."

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Izakawa is more than 20percent more expensive.

Abe wanted inflation. we provided it

Plastic bags of junk food and alcohol on many street corners.

Much like the tied up bags of bento boxes, coffee cans and bottles of 'Trucker's Tea' I see flung out by the road throughout Japan. Plus all the TVs, fridges, air con units I find dumped on forest roads. Yes, let's blame foreigners for that too. At last they don't urinate in conbini car parks.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

ClippetyClop

EXACTLY. Well said.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

More foreign visitors = more locals headaches.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Much like the tied up bags of bento boxes, coffee cans and bottles of 'Trucker's Tea' I see flung out by the road throughout Japan. Plus all the TVs, fridges, air con units I find dumped on forest roads. Yes, let's blame foreigners for that too. At last they don't urinate in conbini car parks.

We get a lot of trucks and domestic tourists along a main road through my neighbourhood and that's exactly what we find on the twice yearly cleanups our community does. Its disgusting.

The reason I keep mentioning the large number of Asians visiting Japan is that it should be a huge positive for the image of Asians in Japan. Instead Chinese are only shown when causing trouble or being laughed at for "bakugai". They are not shown as engaging positively in Japanese culture. You could easily shoot footage of Chinese standing in front of Kinkakuji and saying its beautiful or eating Japanese food and saying its delicious, but TV only shows Westerners doing that. The prevailing negative image of other Asians plays into the hands of nationalists who seek to promote militarism.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

“Instead Chinese are only shown when causing trouble or being laughed at for "bakugai". They are not shown as engaging positively in Japanese culture. “

Yup. When I lived in Japan, most Japanese thought negatively on the Chinese. Yet, when I’d be in places like Omotesando, Odaiba, Ueno / Yoyogi Park, Harajuku / Shibuya-the Chinese tourists were usually respectful, courteous, enjoying their visit & pumping lots of their money into the economy.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

kohakuebisu Wc62six

thank you both for these 2 very thoughtful and on the spot remarks.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I wonder what percentage of these tourists would waste their time and money in a Japanese casino.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

More foreign visitors = more locals headaches.

Of course there are downsides, but more jobs and more money offset that. If you were working in the tourist industry in spring 2011 then you'd realize what a crash in tourist revenue can have on an area; where I live & work hotels and businesses were laying off hundreds of people within days of the 3/11 tragedy. This impacts everyone in town quickly, from convenience stores to the people who clean the bedsheets. Tourism revenue has helped my town rebuild two schools and convert a massive area of forest plantation into a nature reserve within the last 12 months. We'll have the headaches and the money if that's alright with you.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

well-observed? by who? you? that's not a well observed phonomena- that's a well observed bias

By the Chinese themselves and the Chinese media.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Zichi

Thanks for the info! Spot on topic.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

"Visitors from China topped the list at 668,600, up 29.3 percent. Those from South Korea rose 14.6 percent to 640,400, followed by Taiwan at 440,100, up 8.0 percent, and Hong Kong at 190,500, up 4.9 percent."

You what is really interesting about these numbers? Chinese and Koreans make up the largest number, but both counties say they hate Japan. Yet, they want to come and visit here?

You know what even more interesting? Chinese and Koreans visit Japan, but very few Japanese visit either China or Korea.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

"More foreign visitors = more locals headaches.#

This why Japan is getting ready to impose an exit fee.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

You know what even more interesting? Chinese and Koreans visit Japan, but very few Japanese visit either China or Korea.

Korea is the most popular country visited by Japanese:

https://www.tourism.jp/tourism-database/stats/outbound/

3 ( +3 / -0 )

"Korea is the most popular country visited by Japanese"

Here we go again. First, the database you are citing is is incomplete go to staista for better numbers.

second look the story the below from a korean bizware

Gap Widens Between Number of Korean and Japanese Tourists

 The gap continues to widen between the number of South Korean visitors to Japan and South Korea-bound Japanese tourists, sending alarming signs of the troubles facing the South Korean tourism industry and prompting tourism officials in South Korea to ramp up efforts to encourage domestic tourism.

According to data provided by the Japan National Tourism Organization, a record high of over 5.2 million South Koreans visited Japan between January and September this year, up over 40 percent compared to the same time last year.In the meantime, the number of Japanese tourists who visited South Korea between January and August stood at just over 1.5 million, ( Japanese tourist to just Hawaii for 2017 was 1.5 million) according to the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO).

Third, it is starting to recovery but it is still pretty bad.

Fourth, What about China?

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

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