Foreign visitors to Japan up 52% to 1.85 mil in January
Chinese tourists stand outside a shop after buying suitcases in Tokyo in this Feb 4 photo.
REUTERS/Thomas Peter
TOKYO —
The number of foreign visitors to Japan continued to rise in January, and to the second-highest figure ever for a single month, with Chinese tourists flocking to the country thanks to the early start of the school winter vacation period, government data showed Tuesday.
An estimated 1,851,800 foreigners arrived in Japan in January, up 52% from a year earlier. Japan Tourism Agency Commissioner Akihiko Tamura said the surge reflected the popularity of Japan as a tourist destination, but noted the unstable global economic situation should be watched carefully.
“We cannot predict (the trend) this year because economic conditions overseas are unstable,” Tamura told a press conference, indicating concern in particular at the economic slowdown in China and volatile changes in currency exchange rates.
By country and region, visitors from South Korea in January totaled an estimated 514,900, accounting for the largest portion, followed by 475,000 from China and 321,000 from Taiwan, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization.
Chinese visitors more than doubled from a year earlier as the one-month school winter vacation period began around Jan 20, about a week earlier than last year.
In addition to shopping and enjoying hot springs, Chinese tourists flocked to Hokkaido to enjoy the snow in Japan’s northernmost prefecture, the organization said.
As other factors luring foreign visitors, the organization cited a weaker yen, relaxed visa requirements and the expanded list of goods that can be purchased duty free.
The Japanese government has aimed to increase the annual arrival of foreign visitors to 20 million by 2020 when Tokyo will host the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. But it expects to achieve that goal in 2016 and is considering revising upward the 2020 target figure.
In 2015, a record 19.74 million foreigners visited Japan.
The largest number of foreign visitors for a single month was 1.92 million marked in July last year.
© KYODO
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16 Comments
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11
thepersoniamnow
You can tell just by walking around downtown Osaka these days that there's a ton of tourists everywhere. I'm glad that people are here and they seem to be having fun.
1
Yubaru
You can't say out loud what you really are thinking that's all. If the rate continues to fall the numbers of tourists coming will drop, that's obvious. Instead of blaming overseas "conditions" take a look within the country and quit the deflect and obfuscate game.
-2
some14some
what is important? not the number of visitors rather how much did they spend, because govt sole purpose is to make money.
6
Da_Realist
If China's economy continues to falter, that would be an outside factor that would affect the number of Chinese tourists to Japan, no? That would be outside of Japan's control and thus make it difficult to predict the number of tourists, no? The yen rate is affected by international market conditions and not solely by Japan's domestic political environment, no? After all, he was referring to tourism and not predictions regarding Japan's domestic economy, no?
Geez. Take breath, calm down and apply some critical thinking skills.
6
Yukiii
I believe that in this month February also many tourists are comming to Japan, especially Chinese, Hong Kong, Taiwan because of Lunar new year holidays therefore it will reach high visitors number.
Welcome to Japan!!
But if exchange rate was dramatically changed this year (strong JPY), will they still visit Japan continuously....? Economic issues are unclear.
2
wtfjapan
But if exchange rate was dramatically changed this year (strong JPY), will they still visit Japan continuously....? certainly not the Chinese, majority come here on shopping sprees, I doubt theyd come if everything was 50% more expensive. Sorry all you high yen lovers, a strong currency and tourism dont go together at all.
2
Ian Robertson
Good news for the economy.
0
kohakuebisu
Good news! Good boost for the economy. The market for overseas tourists has been underexploited for years. In the past, foreign tourism was merely used as an excuse for blowout spending like the 2002 World Cup.
One thing I will say is that even though over half the tourists are coming from S Korea, China, and Taiwan, you can bet the media will go out and interview the first whitey gaijin they can find to report this story. Chinese tourists are only newsworthy when they are BAKUGAI!!!! or dropping fag ends in the car park at Mount Fuji. No effort is made to nurture a more positive image of other Asian people.
0
GW
kohakuebisu you need to get out a little more, there is plenty in news media about tourists from the Far East & Asia
1
MarkX
I wonder how much money the gov't is really making from all of these shopping tourists as they have signs posted everywhere heralding the 8% sales tax will be repaid. What I don't know is the 8% automatically taken off at the time of purchase, or do customers have to keep their receipts and make a claim later?
1
JustAGoodOleBoy
The Robot Restaurant in Kabukicho must be laughing all the way to the bank.
0
MapleG
The 8% is automatically taken off. As for the government earning money, it is not from the sales tax but rather from the spin-off an multiplier effects. A busy store selling lots of duty free goods can hire more employees. Those employees earn yen as salary and pay income tax, sales tax on their purchases, go to restaurants, spend in shops etc etc.
0
Gaijin Desi
Chinese Love Japan !!! That's the reality
0
gokai_wo_maneku
I think they are all here in Shinjuku...
0
Supey11
@MarkX & @MapleG
Actually, the majority of money foreign tourists spend in Japan has tax:
Tax free is only for items being removed from the country, so its not available for domestic transportation, for restaurant food, for hotels, for tours, or for entrance fees. Tax free things can't be shipped home or left behind in Japan as a 'gift' to someone living here (you're suppose to show these items when departing).
1
Strangerland
It's true. I have two Chinese friends who have been here for the past 10 days, traveling all over the country, and they are loving it.
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