News
The best on-time performance airport is Haneda in Japan with 90%, and ANA as 2nd and JAL as 3rd for airlines
Haneda Airport was top with the on-time departure rate of 90.33%, and ANA and JAL were ranked as 2nd with 88.61% and 3rd with 88% respectively for on-time airline arrival rate, according to Cirium on-time performance airports and airlines in 2022.
China suspends visa issuance to Japanese travelers as payback against tighter border control for travelers from China by the Japanese government
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.
The awareness rate of NFT in Japan is 30% with higher popularity in entertainment categories
30% of all respondents in Japan knew what NFT is. Only 3.2% own NFT. The most popular category was ‘sports’ with 41.2%, followed by ‘animation or manga’ with 39.2% and ‘music or entertainment’ with 34%.
More than 60% of Japanese Generation Z do not want to drive in Okinawa, and 80% want to use public transportation
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.
International conferences in Japan drastically reduced by 99% to were 29 only in 2021 compared to pre-pandemic
The number of international conferences in Japan through 2021 reduced by 86.9% year on year or 99.2% over 2019 to 29 only, and the number of participants was down 42.6% year on year or 97.2% over 2019.
Yusen Cruise of Japan cancels ‘Asuka II’ world tour cruise in 2023 because smooth operation is not guaranteed
Yusen Cruise has decided to cancel 104 days-long ‘Asuka II World Tour Cruise 2023,' explaining that the decision resulted from the global COVID-19 situation and geopolitical difficulties.
The Japanese government mandates pre-departure negative certificate and PCR test on arrival for travelers from China
The Japanese government has enhanced entry control for travelers who stay in China (except Hong Kong and Macao) and fly to Japan directly from China (except Hong Kong and Macao) since January 8 2023, requiring pre-departure negative certificate (72 hours before departure) and PCR test on arrival.
Italy-born ‘Albergo Diffuso,’ defining the whole village as a hotel, certificates four regions in Japan as startup
Italy-born ‘Albergo Diffuso,’ developing the whole village or city as a hotel, certificated Minobu, Yamanashi Prefecture, Zao, Miyagi Prefecture, Hachimandaira, Iwate Prefecture and Hirado City in Nagasaki Prefecture in Japan as startup operators.
The Japan’s leading travel company partners with a professional baseball team for a new ballpark
JTB,has signed a partnership agreement with Fighters Sports & Entertainment for a new ballpark ‘F Village’ that will open on March 30 2023 as a home stadium for Hokkaido Nipponham Fighters to create opportunities to attract tourists based on the new ballpark.
Strong recovery of Japanese overseas travelers was not seen yet with 380,000 in November 2022
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%.
Foreigner arrivals in Japan were close to 1 million in November 2022 with more arrivals from South Korea than 2019
the number of international arrivals in Japan almost doubled to 934,500 in November 2022 from 498,600 in the previous month. The largest source market in November 2022 was South Korea with 315,400 visitors, which were 53.8% more than even November 2019.
ANA and JAL remarkably recover international flight bookings in this coming New Year holidays
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 will launch its first Japan service from Cairns in June 2023, expanding code-shares with ANA
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.
ANA and JAL together provide 10% fewer domestic seats and 77% fewer international seats in 2022 than 2019
OAG revealed that Japanese airlines provide about 30 million seats in total in December 2022, which were still 82% of the monthly total in December 2019 but 27% more seats than January 2022. ANA Group occupies 42% of the total available seats, JAL Group is 30.5%.
Bullet train Shinkansen can be chartered as an event venue with a variety of surprising options-JTB
JTB, the Japanese leading travel company, has started selling ‘Chartered Shinkansen Package’ for a group, expecting that Shinkansen can be an unique venue for an original event.
The most globally powerful city in 2022 is London, followed by Tokyo as 3rd, influenced by timing of border open
According to ‘Global Power City Index 2022’ by the Mori Memorial Foundation Institute for Urban Strategies, the most powerful city is London, followed by New York and Tokyo. The ranking and scores this year are influenced by timing of the border open and of receiving tourists.
HIS, one of the Japanese leading travel companies, still suffered from deficit in FY2022 despite large increases in sales
HIS, one of the Japanese leading travel companies, still suffered from net loss of 9.5 billion JPY for the full year of FY2022 ended October 31 2022 despite an increase in sales to 142.8 billion JPY because of gradual recovery of the travel business.
The No.1 searched destination in Japan on NAVITIME is Universal Studio Japan, and event venues were more searched
According to ‘NAVITIME Spot Search Ranking 2022,' The most-searched destination was Universal Studio Japan in Osaka, surpassing Tokyo Disneyland as 2nd.
Hotel Okura, a luxury hotel group in Japan, will open a new hotel in the capital of Oman in 2027
Hotel Okura, one of the luxury hotel group in Japan, announced that ‘the Okura Resort Muscat’ will open in Muscat, the capital of Oman, in 2027.
More than 90% of hotels and ryokans in Japan say that purchase cost rose
According to Japan Finance Corporation (JFC)’s survey, 76.6% of the surveyed companies said that purchase cost has risen over the last year, and for the next year, 92.2% said that purchase cost will continue rising.
