Only 1 in 6 Own Passports
Overseas Travel Demand Further Declines Due to Yen Weakness
In Japan, which is enjoying a tourism boom due to the weak yen, it has been pointed out that Japanese people themselves rarely travel abroad, threatening the survival of travel agencies and national airlines. It is known that not only Japanese travel agencies and airlines but also local governments are actively encouraging overseas travel by creating programs that support passport acquisition costs.
On the 19th, Bloomberg cited statistics from the Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA), reporting that the passport acquisition rate among Japanese people last year was 17.8%, continuing a downward trend since 2019 (24.4%), when the COVID-19 pandemic began. This means only one out of six Japanese people has a passport.
This is a significantly lower rate compared to other countries. According to Bloomberg, 160 million Americans, equivalent to 50% of the population, hold passports as of this year, and in the UK, 86.5% of residents had passports as of 2021.
Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) campaign supporting passport acquisition costs. It promotes support for both new acquisitions and renewals. (Photo by JATA website)
Bloomberg believes that the weak yen and the Japanese preference for domestic travel have influenced the low passport acquisition rate. A JATA official stated, "The global trend of high inflation combined with the weak yen leading to increased travel costs, along with unstable international situations such as the Ukraine war, have greatly suppressed demand for overseas travel."
Yoko Hayano, senior researcher at the JTB Tourism Research & Consulting Co., which studies the tourism industry, analyzed, "In Japan, where tourism infrastructure is well developed, travel demand can be satisfied with domestic destinations, so many people are content without traveling abroad. This is a factor contributing to the low passport acquisition rate."
Moreover, Japanese passport holders can enter 192 countries visa-free, making Japan a country with strong passport power. According to the "Global Passport Index" by UK consulting firm Henley & Partners, Japan ranked first for five consecutive years until last year in the number of countries accessible without a visa. Nevertheless, the number of Japanese people traveling abroad remains remarkably low.
In response, Japanese airlines and travel agencies are holding events to encourage passport acquisition to recover travel demand. JATA ran a campaign supporting passport acquisition costs until September, and travel company JTB is conducting an event that returns points equivalent to the passport acquisition cost. Peach Aviation, a low-cost carrier (LCC) under All Nippon Airways (ANA), is also holding an event until the 22nd, where people who newly obtain or renew a passport can enter a lottery to receive points worth about 5,000 yen (approximately 45,000 won) to use for purchasing their airline tickets.
Even local governments are encouraging passport acquisition. Miyazaki Prefecture and Toyama Prefecture are currently providing full or partial support for passport acquisition costs.
Bloomberg stated, "Japan's recovery in overseas travel demand after pandemics such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) has been slower compared to other countries," adding, "Besides improving the environment for overseas travel, such as passport acquisition, it is also necessary to create public sentiment that boosts enthusiasm for traveling abroad."
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