Japanese Travelers

More than 90% of Japanese Generation Z who have experienced overseas travels say that they want to go overseas within this year, according to Japan Tourism Agency's survey. The most-focused point to choose a destination is ‘security’ with 73%.

The consumption willingness index in February 2023 rises by 1.7 points to 44.6 points, which is the highest in the last five years, particularly boosted by higher willingness to travel.

JTB has forecasted a 8.6% increase in domestic travelers to 266 million, a 189.7% increase in outbound travelers to 8.4 million and a 450.6% increase in inbound travelers to 21 million in 2023.

JTB Tourism Research & Consulting’s survey on SDGs finds that the awareness rate of 17 SGDs goals among domestic travel experiences in the past three years was 40.8%. The most important action in tourism was ‘preserving sea richness (38.1%)’

The Chinese Embassy in Japan announced suspension of visa issuance to Japanese travelers on January 11 2023, as payback against tighter border control for travelers from China by the Japanese government.

62.9% of Generation Z living in Tokyo or Osaka areas answered that they do not want to drive in Okinawa. 83.3% of those want to use public transportation in Okinawa, according to Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau (OCVB)’ survey.

The number of Japanese overseas travelers were 379,200 in November 2022, just about 30,000 more travelers than 349,557 in the previous month. Compared to November 2019 (1,642,333 travelers), the result was still down 79.6%.

Both ANA and JAL received 80% more domestic flight bookings and four times more international flight bookings in this coming New Year holiday period. The booking rates of international flights remarkably improved to 77% for both.

Virgin Australia announced launch of its first Japan service between Cairns and Haneda with the Boeing 737-8 on June 28 2023, expanding code-share flights with ANA. They expect that Japanese passengers may be 60 to 70% of the total on average through a year.

Princes Cruise will restart cruises in Japan in March 2023, offering 22 courses on 32 departure days in the period between March 13 and November 9 2023.

JTB has forecasted that domestic travelers will increase by 16.7% year on year to 21 million during this coming New Year holidays, which will be 28.2% fewer travelers than 2019, and the average travel expenses will be up 12.1% to 37,000 JPY, which will be 15.6% more than even 2019.

The number of Japanese overseas travelers were 349,600 in October 2022, just about 30,000 more travelers than 319,165 in the previous month.

JAL increased operating revenue was up 112.8% year on year to 618.5 billion JPY for the first half of FY2022 and considerably improved net loss from 104.9 billion JPY to 2.1 billion JPY. For the full year, it has still forecasted that net income of 45 billion JPY can be secured.

Digital Agency of Japan will integrate ‘My SOS,’ a health certificate app, into ‘Visit Japan Web’ on November 1 2022 to make faster immigration possible.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan lowered COVID-19 travel warning worldwide to LEVEL 1 (Be careful of traveling) on October 19 2022.

A nationwide travel discount program began on October 11 2022 to boost domestic travel demand, but Several OTAs stopped selling the qualified products on the opening day because of no more availabilities.

The total number of Japanese guest nights in August 2022 (provisionally) was up 49.8% year on year to 46 million, which were 14.5% fewer guests nights than the same month in 2019, and the occupancy rate was 50.1% overall, higher than 47.8% in July 2022.

Online shopping spending a Japanese household in July 2022 was up 20.4% year on year to 21,940 JPY a month, and travel-related spending was up 2.4 times to 3,595 JYP a household.

Passport renewal in Japan will be made possible online on March 27 2023. A Japanese passport holder will no longer visit an application window for passport renewal procedure.

Resuming three flights a week between Haneda and Sydney with A330-300 (28 business class seats and 260 economy class seats) on September 13, Qantas Airways is restarting tourism promotion activities in Japan in earnest.