Japan: the weakened yen signals the massive return of tourists

The Far East is the region in the world that has had the hardest time recovering from the loss of tourists due to the pandemic. Extreme regulations, notably from China, have contributed to the fear of travel in Asia.

Japan, which was also quite closed to tourism, is now slow to recover, but it finally seems to be regaining its former vivacity, especially since it is much cheaper than before…

Official data indicates that the country has returned to the same volume of tourists as before the pandemic. In September, Japan reached two million foreign visitors for the fourth consecutive month, indicating a stabilization of the flow. This figure is equivalent to 96 percent of the pre-pandemic number of travelers on the same dates.

A boost because of the devaluation of the yen, the national currency, which today has its lowest price in thirty-three years. This is why many tourists are going there more than ever, especially from the United States, South Korea and Singapore. Even the number of Mexicans broke all records in September.

However, this return to normal has reopened the controversy over overtourism, which is gathering in many enclaves, notably in the city of Kyoto. See also our article: