Japan's Inbound Tourism Surpasses Pre-Pandemic Numbers

The soaring number of tourists in Japan will not stop anytime soon if one is to believe the country’s tourism agency. According to the tourism department of Japan, the Asian nation welcomed a record 17.78 million foreign visitors in the first half of this year. With such figures, Japan’s tourism industry has now surpassed even pre-pandemic levels.

Tourism Soars as Yen Weakens

Tourism in Japan has been on the rise all year. In April and May of 2024, the country welcomed more than three million visitors each month, marking a 60% increase from the same months last year. From January to May, the country’s total number of visitors were 14.64 million, which represented an increase of 6.5% over the same time in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic. With June figures now added in, Japan’s inbound tourism stands at 17.78 million, around a million more than the 16.63 million recorded for the first half of 2019.

This influx of tourism has been heavily caused by the country's weakening currency. In April, the Japanese Yen sank to 160.17 against the US dollar, its lowest since April 1990. Currently, a dollar is worth 157.66 Yen, with the rate fluctuating within this set bracket.

The biggest influx of tourists was seen from South Korea which totalled 4.4 million arrivals, followed by China, Taiwan, and USA. Though the booming tourism industry is helping to keep the country’s economy afloat, too many tourists have also become a headache for the locals as well as the authorities. As a result, various steps have been taken by the country to keep the visitors in check, like higher charges for tourists, added restrictions, tourist fees, and even blocking the Instagram-famous view of Mount Fuji.