Japan records 37 mn tourists in 2024 thanks to post-Covid global surge and weaker yen

A record number of visitors flocked to Japan in 2024, owing to increased post-pandemic worldwide tourism and a weakening yen, making the island nation an appealing and inexpensive destination.

Foreign travellers increased by 47% to a record 36.9 million last year, driven by tourists from South Korea, Taiwan, and China, according to data issued by the Japan National Tourism Organisation on Wednesday. The previous high was 31.9 million tourists in 2019, just before Covid-19 halted foreign travel.

According to the most recent data, the country is well on track to surpass 60 million foreign tourists by 2030. This is owing, in part, to Japan’s reputation as a far more cheap tourism destination, while being one of the world’s most developed economies. As the yen fell to a 37-year low last year, incoming visitors found it much more cheap to dine, travel, and spend at luxury stores.

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The number of international visitors visiting Japan also set a new record for a single month in December, thanks in part to increasing regional connections connecting South Korea, China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, according to the JNTO. The weak yen has also hampered outbound travel, with the number of Japanese travelling overseas remaining at 13 million in 2024, 35% lower than in 2019.

As more visitors arrive in Japan, public resentment has grown as they overcrowd public transportation, restaurants, and sights popular with residents.

In May, local officials in Fujikawaguchiko, a holiday town on the outskirts of Mt. Fuji, constructed a barrier at a famous social media destination where the landmark appears to float above a convenience store, to restrict the influx of tourists.

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In Kyoto’s old city, where overtourism is more prevalent, a local district council has barred visitors from the tiny private lanes of the Gion area, where tourists harassed and pursued geisha for photographs, now known as “geisha paparazzi.” That was regarded as one of the elements that contributed to the election win of Kyoto’s new mayor in February, whose campaign promise was to combat tourist excesses.

These occurrences have spurred others to explore strategies to stop the flow, such as charging foreigners greater costs. For example, the city of Himeji is considering raising the cost of admission to its castle for international visitors.

Japan is attempting to shift travel demand to rural areas where recovery has been gradual, rather than big metropolitan areas where development has been focused.

The overall number of foreign visitors to Japan grew 14% in three main urban regions in 2023 compared to 2019, while the recovery in rural areas has been gradual, with a 26% reduction, according to the government’s white paper issued in June last year.