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THE NUMBER of foreign tourists visiting Japan broke the highest record in 2024. Based on data from the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), the Land of the Rising Sun recorded more than 36.8 million tourists coming to Japan.
This number surpasses the previous record set in 2019, when nearly 32 million tourists visited the country. The number of visits includes both leisure and business.
The tourists who came to Japan the most in 2024 were from South Korea with 8.82 million visits, followed by China with 6.98 million, which is a threefold increase compared to last year. Taiwan followed with 6.04 million visits. In December, Japan welcomed 3.49 million tourists and was the month with the most visits throughout 2024. This period coincided with school vacations and the Christmas and New Year holidays.
The large number of tourist arrivals to Japan in 2024 will revive the tourism sector, which was previously hampered by the corona pandemic. The increase in tourist visits has also had a positive impact on the Japanese economy. This is because this sector is the second largest contributor to the economy after the automobile sector.
In 2024, tourist spending will be around 8.1 trillion yen (IDR849 trillion), up 53 percent from the previous year’s 5.31 trillion yen. Teppei Kawanishi, General Manager of travel industry consultant Honichi Lab, said the increase in the number of visitors has had a positive impact.
“The fact that not only the number of visitors has increased, but also the amount of money they spend is a positive thing,” he was quoted as saying by Reuters, Friday, (01/17), 2025.
The increase in the number of tourists coming to Japan is because the government has started to open tourist attractions such as Mount Fuji, temples and sushi restaurants. In addition, another factor associated with the large number of visitors to Japan is that the yen exchange rate has weakened over the past three years.
This makes goods and food more affordable, and tourists are interested in going to Japan. In addition, the number of visitors will increase again because Japan will host the World Expo in 2025.
The Japanese government has set an ambitious goal of attracting 60 million tourists by 2030 and increasing their income to 15 trillion yen. However, they are faced with the problem of tourist visits piling up in several places. The government wants to spread tourists more evenly throughout Japan. The large number of tourists crowding into one tourist attraction is a problem for the local community.
The accumulation of tourists usually occurs in famous places such as the ancient city of Kyoto. This city is known for its geisha and Buddhist temples, which are crowded with tourists. Local people complain about unfriendly visitors who disturb the geisha, cause traffic jams, and litter. To improve the situation, the government will increase Kyoto’s tourist tax.
In addition to Kyoto, Mt. Fuji is also experiencing tourist congestion. To reduce the impact of tourism, the authorities have imposed an entrance fee and limited the number of climbers per day. In Ginzan Onsen, to reduce the number of overtourists, an entry system has been implemented only for visitors staying in local hotels after 8:00 p.m. local time.
Overtourism in several cities in Japan is a problem that needs to be addressed by the community and local government. However, it cannot be denied that the increasing number of tourists in Japan contributes to the country’s economy.
Meanwhile Naomi Mano, President and CEO of Luxurique, said that the overtourism is caused by the concentration of tourists in certain cities. She believes the Japanese government should take steps to promote other places in Japan.
“Make it more accessible, provide more information and allow bookings for activities in other rural areas,” she said, as quoted by Channel News Asia, Friday (01/17), 2025. [sources/photo special]
