Latest news with #NaoyaHaraikawa
Japan Times
2 days ago
- Japan Times
Foreign visitors to Japan at record high for May
The estimated number of foreign visitors to Japan in May jumped 21.5% from a year before to 3,693,300, a record high for the month, the Japan National Tourism Organization said Wednesday. The cumulative number of visitors from abroad in the first five months of 2025 came to a record 18,140,100, beating the previous record of 14,641,780 marked in the same period last year. The increase in visitors during May was driven by travelers from China, Taiwan and the United States, who visited Japan for holidays and on cruise ship port calls. The number of visitors from Hong Kong dropped 11.2% to 193,100 after rumors spread on social media that an earthquake might strike Japan. By country or region, the number of visitors from South Korea was the largest, at 825,800, up 11.8%; followed by 789,900 from mainland China, up 44.8%; 538,400 from Taiwan, up 15.5%; and 311,900 from the United States, up 26.3%. The number "fell only in Hong Kong," Naoya Haraikawa, commissioner of the Japan Tourism Agency, said at a news conference. Haraikawa said that JNTO's Hong Kong office is already calling on people via social media to make travel decisions based on scientific information from public institutions. He said that JNTO will strengthen information-sharing efforts if necessary. The estimated number of Japanese nationals traveling overseas rose 14.3% to 1,076,800 in May, reflecting a spike in travelers during a holiday period from late April to early May. But Japanese visitors to Thailand continued to decrease following a major earthquake in Myanmar in late March.
Kyodo News
2 days ago
- Kyodo News
Foreign visitors to Japan hit 3.7 mil. in May, new record for month
KYODO NEWS - 14 hours ago - 21:14 | All, Japan, Travel/Tourism The number of foreign visitors to Japan in May rose 21.5 percent from a year earlier to 3.7 million, a record for the month, government estimates showed Wednesday, as travel demand remained strong even after cherry blossom season. By country and region, South Korea topped the list with 825,800 visitors, up 11.8 percent, followed by China with 789,900, a 44.8 percent increase, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. The two countries and 19 other markets set new visitor records for May, while those from India hit a record monthly high of 43,000, up 47.9 percent from the previous year, it said. "The momentum is strong, and we are on a very good trajectory," Japan Tourism Agency Commissioner Naoya Haraikawa told a press conference, while also noting that a concentration of visitors in the country's three major metropolitan areas -- Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya -- remains an issue. Japan received some 18.1 million foreign arrivals from January to May, up 23.9 percent from the same period in 2024. Travel demand has remained strong on the back of school holidays in some markets, with a surge in visitors from China, the Philippines and the United States providing support, according to the organization. Among all countries and regions individually tracked, only Hong Kong saw a decline in May from the previous year, down 11.2 percent to 193,100. It is believed that a Japanese manga predicting a major disaster in Japan this July has discouraged travel. The Japan National Tourism Organization office in Hong Kong has issued a statement on Facebook refuting any scientific basis for the date and location of the rumored disaster. Related coverage: Gov't wants Japanese travelers to see more of their own backyard Japan's departure tax revenue hits record high in FY 2024 Chinese tourists returning to Japan with new travel style
Japan Today
2 days ago
- Japan Today
Number of foreign visitors to Japan hits 3.7 mil in May; new record for month
The number of foreign visitors to Japan in May rose 21.5 percent from a year earlier to 3.7 million, a record for the month, government estimates showed Wednesday, as travel demand remained strong even after cherry blossom season. By country and region, South Korea topped the list with 825,800 visitors, up 11.8 percent, followed by China with 789,900, a 44.8 percent increase, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. The two countries and 19 other markets set new visitor records for May, while those from India hit a record monthly high of 43,000, up 47.9 percent from the previous year, it said. "The momentum is strong, and we are on a very good trajectory," Japan Tourism Agency Commissioner Naoya Haraikawa told a press conference, while also noting that a concentration of visitors in the country's three major metropolitan areas -- Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya -- remains an issue. Japan received some 18.1 million foreign arrivals from January to May, up 23.9 percent from the same period in 2024. Travel demand has remained strong on the back of school holidays in some markets, with a surge in visitors from China, the Philippines and the United States providing support, according to the organization. Among all countries and regions individually tracked, only Hong Kong saw a decline in May from the previous year, down 11.2 percent to 193,100. It is believed that a Japanese manga predicting a major disaster in Japan this July has discouraged travel. The Japan National Tourism Organization office in Hong Kong has issued a statement on Facebook refuting any scientific basis for the date and location of the rumored disaster. © KYODO
Kyodo News
31-05-2025
- Kyodo News
Chinese tourists returning to Japan with new travel style
KYODO NEWS - 1 hour ago - 12:39 | All, Japan, Travel/Tourism Chinese tourists are driving a recent surge in inbound travel to Japan, with arrivals now exceeding pre-pandemic 2019 levels, though their travel habits are shifting noticeably. Previously, Chinese tourism in Japan was defined by large group tours and shopping sprees known as "bakugai." Nowadays, however, more travelers are seeking immersive experiences related to Japanese cuisine, culture and scenery, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. A total of 3.13 million Chinese travelers visited Japan in the first four months of this year, topping the 2.89 million recorded during the same period in 2019. While the number of visitors from China was slow to rebound after the pandemic, arrivals have steadily increased since the Chinese government lifted its ban on group tours to Japan in 2023, reaching 2.42 million that year and 6.98 million in 2024. Growth has continued into 2025, with year-on-year increases of 135.7 percent in January, 57.3 percent in February, 46.2 percent in March and 43.4 percent in April. The shift in travel preferences is partly driven by Chinese travelers in their 30s and 40s, many of whom have visited Japan before, now choosing family trips with their children over group tours. The JNTO is working to better target that market, including opening an account on a popular Chinese social media platform last fall. Meanwhile, visitor numbers from Hong Kong, which are tallied separately from mainland China, increased 30.8 percent in January from the previous year but declined 5 percent in February and 9.9 percent in March. A Japanese manga predicting a major disaster in Japan this July is believed to have discouraged travel. Posts about the manga "The Future I Saw" went viral after some claimed that its artist, Ryo Tatsuki, also predicted the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan, among other events. Nevertheless, April saw a strong rebound, marking a 42.9 percent increase from the previous year. At a press conference earlier this month, Japan Tourism Agency Commissioner Naoya Haraikawa dismissed the concerns, saying, "I believe they currently have no real impact." Related coverage: Foreign visitors to Japan in April set monthly record at 3.9 million Japan to give South Koreans fast-track entry in June to mark ties anniv. Japan to launch prescreening of visa-free travelers in FY 2028
Kyodo News
31-05-2025
- Business
- Kyodo News
Chinese tourists returning to Japan with new travel style
KYODO NEWS - 5 minutes ago - 12:39 | All, Japan, Travel/Tourism Chinese tourists are driving a recent surge in inbound travel to Japan, with arrivals now exceeding pre-pandemic 2019 levels, though their travel habits are shifting noticeably. Previously, Chinese tourism in Japan was defined by large group tours and shopping sprees known as "bakugai." Nowadays, however, more travelers are seeking immersive experiences related to Japanese cuisine, culture and scenery, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. A total of 3.13 million Chinese travelers visited Japan in the first four months of this year, topping the 2.89 million recorded during the same period in 2019. While the number of visitors from China was slow to rebound after the pandemic, arrivals have steadily increased since the Chinese government lifted its ban on group tours to Japan in 2023, reaching 2.42 million that year and 6.98 million in 2024. Growth has continued into 2025, with year-on-year increases of 135.7 percent in January, 57.3 percent in February, 46.2 percent in March and 43.4 percent in April. The shift in travel preferences is partly driven by Chinese travelers in their 30s and 40s, many of whom have visited Japan before, now choosing family trips with their children over group tours. The JNTO is working to better target that market, including opening an account on a popular Chinese social media platform last fall. Meanwhile, visitor numbers from Hong Kong, which are tallied separately from mainland China, increased 30.8 percent in January from the previous year but declined 5 percent in February and 9.9 percent in March. A Japanese manga predicting a major disaster in Japan this July is believed to have discouraged travel. Posts about the manga "The Future I Saw" went viral after some claimed that its artist, Ryo Tatsuki, also predicted the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan, among other events. Nevertheless, April saw a strong rebound, marking a 42.9 percent increase from the previous year. At a press conference earlier this month, Japan Tourism Agency Commissioner Naoya Haraikawa dismissed the concerns, saying, "I believe they currently have no real impact." Related coverage: Foreign visitors to Japan in April set monthly record at 3.9 million Japan to give South Koreans fast-track entry in June to mark ties anniv. Japan to launch prescreening of visa-free travelers in FY 2028
