It seems like everyone has dubbed 2024 as the year to visit Japan. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram have bombarded users with posts promoting “the perfect Japan trip itinerary.” Idyllic blogs wax poetic on the “better” lifestyle and beautiful sights to be found on the island. Travelers have found themselves in group chats titled “Japan With Da Girlies” and are suddenly booked on the next flight to Tokyo before they can even download Duolingo. With the yen steadily losing value, it is more affordable than ever to visit Japan and tourists are taking advantage of it in record numbers (XE 2024). The island has already had 14 million visitors this year and over 3 million of them arrived in May alone, exceeding pre-pandemic levels by nearly 10% (JNTO 2024). Of the May arrivals, 1.9 million came from South Korea, China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, followed by 247,000 from the United States.

The sudden tourist resurgence has brought a host of consequences: locals have complained of overcrowding, trespassing, littering, and traffic congestion, and the strain on Japan’s infrastructure has forced popular attractions, like Mount Fuji and Kyoto, to look for defensive solutions. For example, tourists are now indefinitely banned from private alleyways in Kyoto’s geisha district after numerous cases of harassment. Locals have argued that the visitors themselves are the heart of the problem–they are entitled, they ignore local customs, and they treat Japan as a “theme park” (O’Donoghue 2024). Foreign onlookers similarly attribute cultural insensitivity to out-of-touch influencers starved for content. Yet, the influx of tourists is only a symptom of a larger diagnosis: the Japanese government has failed to infrastructurally manage the visitors that they’ve invited for decades.

In the 90s, Japanese pop culture gained global traction with its media, music, fashion, art and cuisine. Animes like Pokémon and products like Sanrio and Nintendo made all things Japanese “cool.” A 2002 Foreign Policy article entitled “Japan’s Gross National Cool” underscored the Japanese government’s efforts to capitalize on the potential of the country’s cultural influence (McGray 2002). Within a few years, the “Cool Japan” brand would bring in billions in revenue from the content industry, promoting international prizes in manga and massive investments in Japanese food companies. In light of their newfound popularity, the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) launched “Visit Japan” campaigns at the turn of the century to capitalize on inbound tourism. Since then, the number of visitors has soared from a humble 4.7 million in 2000 to a staggering 31 million in 2019 (pre-pandemic) (JTB Tourism 2024). According to Nikkei, tourism has become Japan’s second-largest export category (behind cars) with its 60% growth (Kanaoka 2024). Yet, the recent situation serves as a cautionary tale regarding the risks of cultural branding and popularity.

The influx of tourists not only reflects “the number of travel-starved Japan lovers,” but also demonstrates “sustained government efforts to increase inbound tourism” (Statista 2024). To support its initiatives, the Japanese government has lessened travel visa requirements, promoted duty-free consumerism, and even increased the number of landing slots at Haneda and Narita airports, aiming to reach one million slots by 2029. These combined efforts have proven themselves fruitful. Foreign spending in Japan has quintupled in the last decade. The first quarter of 2024 saw a record high of $11.4 billion from tourists (Inuma 2024). Unfortunately, while the government continually profits off foreigners, local infrastructure and services are now completely overwhelmed.

In 2022, the number of tourists in Kyoto reached 30 times the local population. Overcrowding has led to trampled crops in Hokkaido and littering has killed sacred Nara deer, who were found with plastic in their stomachs. To combat overtourism, authorities have instituted booking systems to charge visitors at Itsukushima Shrine. The town of Fujikawaguchiko erected a barrier to block its iconic view of Mount Fuji to prevent traffic congestion. JNTO has launched campaigns to draw visitors to places other than Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto (Inoue 2023). However, these measures for overtourism are completely on the defensive and lack teeth. Directing tourists to other regions fails to acknowledge the lack of capacity in local communities. Japan’s shrinking and aging population means there is a huge labor shortage in hospitality. According to Teikoku Data Bank, 71% of hotel operators reported a shortage of full-time employees (Teikoku 2024). Still, Prime Minister Kishida continues to envision Japan as a tourism nation, hoping to welcome 60 million visitors by 2030 (Inoue 2023). The question is who is going to welcome them, especially in a time when the government refuses to resort to migrant labor.

Regardless, the government’s mismanagement does not mean that abrasive tourists do not exist. In fact, Japan’s overtourism problem has brought a valuable discussion of ecotourism and the importance of cultural awareness when visiting a new country. Disruptive tourists can severely break down the quality of life, resulting in local resentment or even discriminatory behavior (ie. “tourist taxes” in restaurants). But it is unrealistic to expect that every tourist will take the time to learn Japan’s language and complex etiquette beyond the necessary phrases (especially if they only intend to visit for a short period). Instead of pointing fingers at foreigners, disgruntled Japanese residents ought to direct a critical eye to the government, who has mismanaged the guests they adamantly wanted to host.

So, what can be done? Tourism does not necessarily need to be rolled back; in normal circumstances it offers great economic benefits and cultural exchange. To be a true tourist nation, Japan instead needs to embrace the changes that accommodate that vision. The government needs to improve local communities’ capacity. This means infrastructural projects that expand waste management operations, public transportation, and hospitality. Although costly, the lack of transformative measures in these areas will only cause overtourism and local resentment to fester. Otherwise, 2024 will remain the year of Japan for everyone…except the Japanese.

References

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Inoue, Yukana. “Japan Unveils New Overtourism Countermeasures.” The Japan Times, The Japan Times, 18 Oct. 2023, www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/10/18/japan/society/overtourism-prevention-plan/.

Inuma, Julia Mio. “Japan, Famously Polite, Struggles to Cope with Influx of Tourists.” Washington Post, Washington Post, May 2024, www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/05/15/japan-over-tourism-fuji-kyoto/.

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McGray, Douglas. “Japan’s Gross National Cool.” Foreign Policy, Foreign Policy, 22 Apr. 2019, foreignpolicy.com/2009/11/11/japans-gross-national-cool/.

O’Donoghue, Saskia. “‘Kyoto Is Not a Theme Park’: Tourists Told to Stay Away from Ancient City’s Famous Geisha District.” Euro News, euro News, Aug. 2024, www.euronews.com/travel/2024/03/08/kyoto-is-not-a-theme-park-tourists-told-to-stay-away-from-ancient-citys-famous-geisha-dist.

Tekukuo Data Bank. “レポートレポート検索.” レポート｜株式会社 帝国データバンク[TDB], 2024, www.tdb.co.jp/report/.