Two Months After Tourism Resumption in Japan, Daily Arrivals Average Only Around 300

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] It has been two months since Japan resumed accepting overseas tourists, but the number of tourists who entered the country by the end of last month was only about 8,000. Although there is hope that the weak yen will increase the number of tourists, the figures fall short of expectations.

According to NHK on the 10th, the Japan Tourism Agency announced that since resuming tourist entries in June, an average of about 310 tourists per day have been visiting Japan over the past two months. In June, 252 tourists entered, and about 7,900 tourists visited Japan in July. The number of tourists scheduled to enter from the 5th to the 31st is estimated to be about 8,500. Considering that the number of foreign visitors to Japan before COVID-19 exceeded 30 million annually, this is far below that level.

NHK explained, "The number of Chinese tourists, who make up a large portion of visitors to Japan, appears to be low due to travel restrictions caused by COVID-19 lockdown measures." The requirement to obtain a visa and submit a negative COVID-19 test certificate, as well as the fact that only group tours are allowed, limiting individual travel preferred by Western tourists, were also cited as factors hindering the increase in tourists.

It is still difficult to feel a bustling atmosphere of tourists at major tourist destinations in Japan. NHK reported that in Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture, which is popular among tourists seeking to experience traditional culture due to its many cultural heritage sites, cancellations of foreign visitors' reservations are continuing. A tourism company in Takayama City even stated that they have not received a single foreign tourist in two months. NHK also reported that most customers of a subsidiary of a major Japanese travel agency in the United States are giving up on traveling to Japan due to visa acquisition issues and are changing their destinations to Europe and Latin America.

Some cities with a large tourism industry are working hard on remodeling accommodations, but most opinions say it is insufficient. The fundamental solution to reviving the tourism industry is shortening the visa acquisition process and allowing individual tourism. Until now, Japan has allowed 90-day visa-free stays for some countries, but since the spread of COVID-19, tourists have been required to obtain tourist visas. It takes 2 to 3 weeks to issue this visa.

Experts pointed out that since preparations for infection control measures targeting foreign visitors to Japan are still insufficient, it is necessary to refrain from hastily accepting tourists. Akiko Takasaka, a senior researcher at the Japan Research Institute, said, "The tourism industry is especially important to local economies in Japan, but there are regions where infection control preparations are not fully in place," adding, "If the daily entry limit regulation is lifted, the number of foreign tourists will steadily increase."