Japan Visitors Numbers Exceed 3 Million for Third Consecutive Month

Japan had more than 3 million visitors for the third consecutive month in May, according to official figures released on Wednesday, as the cheap yen helped maintain a record pace of incoming tourism.

According to data from the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), the number of foreign visitors for both leisure and business purposes was 3.04 million last month, the same as in April and slightly lower than the all-time monthly record set in March.

Japan Visitors last month were up 60% from the same time last year and 9.6% higher than in May 2019. Japan experienced a record 31.9 million tourists in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic closed worldwide borders.

The weak yen, which is at a 34-year low against the dollar, is fueling a tourism boom in Japan. This is great news for the economy, as travelers spent a record 1.75 trillion yen ($11.1 billion) in the first quarter of 2024, according to the JNTO.

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However, the inflow has raised concerns about “overtourism” in popular tourist destinations. According to the Asahi newspaper, on Monday, the mayor of Himeji in western Japan proposed charging foreign visitors three times the regular 1,000 yen price to access the city’s famous samurai-era castle.

In explaining new trail fees to reduce overcrowding on Japan’s hallowed Mt. Fuji, Yamanashi county governor Kotaro Nagasaki told reporters this week that the country should prioritize attracting “higher spending visitors” above overwhelming crowds.

Chinese tourists, who were once the largest group of Japanese visitors, are still roughly 30% lower than before the pandemic.

However, tourists from other markets are filling the gap, such as Indian visitors, who set a monthly record in May, according to JNTO data.

Dalia Feldman, marketing director for Tourist Japan, said her company has witnessed an 11-fold spike in inquiries from India in the last year, while those from the United Arab Emirates have increased nearly eightfold.

“It seems it is the Japanese food and landscapes that attract them the most,” said Feldman. “Most of our Indian and UAE customers will ask to add additional food tours and trips to remote scenic areas to their schedule.”

($1 = 157.8200 yen)