Japan Tourism Recovery Slowing

Above, Akihabara "Electric City" in Tokyo.

The Mainichi Daily News has posted an article on the slowing of tourism to Japan following the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 11.

The article states:

The number of foreign tourists to Japan totaled 561,700 in July, down 36.1 percent from a year earlier, the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) announced Aug. 18.

The number of foreign tourists between March 12 and 31 nose-dived 73 percent from a year earlier as a result of the Great East Japan Earthquake and the ensuing Fukushima nuclear crisis. Figures improved significantly in June, when tourist numbers were 36.0 percent below those of the same month the previous year. But the 36.1 percent figure for July indicates that Japan's recovery of foreign tourists is slowing.

JNTO said the yen's sharp appreciation against the U.S. dollar and other key currencies had worked against Japan.

Currently, the dollar's rate of exchange with the Japanese yen is in the ¥76 range per dollar. Back in 2007, I received ¥116 per dollar.



Although Japan's tourism numbers are down from last year and the dollar's slide in value against the yen has hurt the tourism industry, this isn't hurting sales of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan. Perhaps fans of Japanese monster movies don't scare too easily since orders are coming in.

To read the full article go here.



Left, Miki Hayashi with "The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan." Photo by Armand Vaquer.