New data shows that tourists are returning to Japan in numbers that are approaching pre-pandemic levels. However, Japan isn’t returning the favor. Despite holding one of the strongest passports in the world, many in Japan are opting for domestic travel instead. Here’s why.
The inbound tourism revival
Picture: Canva
Japan closed its doors near the start of the pandemic. That shut out not only tourists, but students, academics, businesspeople, and many others with plans to spend a year or more in the country.
The government lifted visa restrictions in October 2022. However, that didn’t lead to an immediate return in tourism. Tokyo’s major airports, Haneda and Narita, remained relative ghost towns for several months afterwards. And tourists were an increasing but still rare sight in the streets of major cities.
Fortunately, that appears to be changing. New numbers from the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) shows that the country received 1.8 million foreign visitors in March. That’s 63.8% of the numbers the country received in the same month in 2019 before the lockdown.