TOKYO: Japan saw a remarkable increase in foreign visitors in the first half of 2024, reaching a new record of 1.78 million, surpassing pre-pandemic levels by a million, the national tourism body said on Friday.
The weakened yen has only contributed to this increase, luring tourists to indulge in a wide range of Japanese experiences, from traditional kimonos to high-quality knives and fine cuisine, raising concerns about over-tourism in popular destinations such as Kyoto and Mount Fuji.
In addition, South Korea led the group with 4.4 million visitors, followed by China with around three million, a significant five-fold increase over the previous year, AFP reported.
Visitors from Taiwan and the United States rank third and fourth in terms of the number of visitors.
For the whole of 2023, 25 million visitors came to Japan after strict border restrictions from the pandemic period were lifted.
Last month, Ichiro Takahashi, head of Japan’s National Tourism Organization, called the target “a number that we can achieve to a large extent with the right efforts.”
However, some residents are fed up with the unruly behavior and violation of etiquette by the crowds of tourists.
In a city near Mount Fuji in May, authorities installed a large barrier at a popular viewing spot next to a convenience store in an effort to discourage photography.
The mayor of Himeji, a city in western Japan known for the World Heritage-listed Himeji Castle, said authorities were considering charging overseas tourists four times as much as locals.
