"Japanese Tourists Once Shouted 'I Want to Go to Korea'... Now They Say 'No Thanks' — Here’s Why"

Summer Overseas Travel by Japanese Expected to Drop 8.8%
International Travel Costs Up 6.3% Year-on-Year

Weakest Yen in 40 Years Increases Travel Burden
South Korea Most Preferred Destination, Followed by Taiwan

As the value of the Japanese yen has fallen to its lowest point in nearly 40 years, it is expected that the number of Japanese people traveling overseas during the summer holiday season will decline significantly.

According to Kyodo News on July 2, Japanese travel agency JTB forecasts that 2.17 million Japanese are planning to travel overseas between July 15 and the end of August, down 8.8% compared to the same period last year.

As the weak yen continues, the number of foreign tourists traveling to Japan is reaching an all-time high. AI-generated image depicting Korean tourists visiting Japan. Getty Images

This decrease in overseas travel among Japanese people appears to be due to the historically weak yen, which has greatly increased the cost of international trips. The value of the yen has fallen to around 162 yen per dollar, marking its lowest level in 39 and a half years since December 1986. In addition, major airlines such as Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA) have raised fuel surcharges due to the impact of the ongoing Middle East crisis, which has also contributed to the decline. Kyodo News reported that this is the first time since the easing of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2023 that the number of outbound travelers has decreased.

The value of the Japanese yen fell to around 162 yen per dollar, marking the lowest level in 39 and a half years since December 1986. Getty Images

The average overseas travel cost per person is expected to increase by 6.3% year-on-year to 323,000 yen (approximately 3.1 million won). As for preferred summer holiday destinations, South Korea ranked highest at 26.2%, followed by Taiwan at 16.2%. It is analyzed that nearby countries with relatively affordable airfares are topping the list. On the other hand, due to the continued cooling of relations between Japan and China since the beginning of this year, only 10.4% of Japanese overseas travelers chose China as their destination, about half of the usual proportion.

Domestic travel demand among Japanese people is also not expected to increase. As the high cost of living continues to encourage consumers to cut back, both overseas and domestic trips are likely to decrease. JTB forecasts that the number of travelers choosing destinations within Japan during this holiday season will reach 69 million, down 4.4% from the previous year.

The average overseas travel cost per person is expected to increase by 6.3% compared to the same period last year, reaching 323,000 yen (approximately 3.1 million won). Pixabay

In contrast, as the weak yen persists, the number of foreign visitors traveling to Japan is reaching an all-time high. In response, local governments across Japan are taking measures to address the problem of overtourism.

For example, since March, Kyoto, a major tourist destination, has raised its accommodation tax from a maximum of 1,000 yen (about 9,550 won) to a maximum of 10,000 yen (about 95,500 won). The number of local governments in Japan that have introduced an accommodation tax has surged from 17 at the end of last year to 62 currently. Kyoto is also considering a "differentiated fare system" for tourists, which would impose bus fares of 350 to 400 yen (about 3,344 to 3,822 won)—approximately double the rate paid by residents.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.