Japan's Entry and Exit Fees To Rise

Above, the Tokyo Skytree and Asahi Beer Hall from Asakusa. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Those taking a trip to Japan will find that doing so will be a little more expensive starting next year.

Various fees will be hiked on foreign visitors to help pay for infrastructure needs and airport security.

Time Out reported:

Japan is an amazing place to visit. It’s bursting with culture, great food, and fascinating history – and its capital Tokyo is home to the world's coolest neighbourhood for 2025. However, if you’re currently planning a trip to Japan for 2026, there are a few things you should know, and a few extra costs you should account for.

As of next year, the government has announced a few changes to visas and fees for tourists. This includes increasing the exit tax, and the cost of single and multi-entry visas. According to Japanese financial newspaper the Nikkei, the money raised will go towards improving infrastructure and security in airports, as well as fund national projects like making high school free.

This will be the first time the exit tax will increase since its introduction six years ago, and the first upping of visa fees since 1978. No official announcements have been made yet about exactly when these new fares will be introduced. 

To read more, go here. 

Japan Becomes Top Pick For Global Tourists In 2025

Above, Asahi Beer Hall and Golden Flame in Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It is not so surprising that Japan is becoming a top pick for global tourists this year. This has been the case when pandemic-related restrictions ended.

This has prompted Travel and Tour World to post an article on Japan's booming tourism.

They begin it with:

In 2025, Japan is enjoying a robust tourism and travel boom, owing to more than 28.5 million international visitors in just the first half of the year, and projections now exceed 40 million for the whole year. This comes off the back of Japan’s cultural wealth, travel-friendly infrastructure, and international events such as World Expo 2025 in Osaka. This increase in tourism is also attributed to the demand for culturally immersive activities, Japan’s favorable exchange rates, and the fact that it caters to everyone from luxury seekers to solo and family travelers—making it one of the top travel places this year.

To read more, go here. 

Japan Received 3.31 Million Foreign Visitors In October

Above, the Asahi Beer Hall next to Tokyo's Sumida River. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japan continues to see record numbers of foreign tourists.

According to Travel and Tour World:

Japan experienced an all-time high of 3.31 million visitors last month, marking a new milestone in tourism. Fueled by the depreciated yen, this influx of travelers generated substantial income for the nation. Visitor numbers surpassed pre-pandemic records, as people eagerly explored Japan’s stunning autumn scenery. Tourist expenditures hit historic peaks, solidifying their role as a crucial driver of Japan’s economic growth.

Japan saw an unprecedented 3.31 million visitors last month, setting a new tourism milestone, according to official figures released Wednesday. The weak yen has fueled a tourism surge, channeling significant revenue into the country’s economy. This latest figure surpasses September’s 2.87 million visitors and breaks the previous monthly record of 3.29 million set in July, as reported by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO).

By the end of October, nearly 30.2 million tourists had visited Japan this year, closing in on the all-time annual high of 31.9 million recorded in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted global travel.

 To read more, go here.

Japan Hotel Visitors Top 10 Million

Above, the Tokyo Skytree and Asahi Beer Hall. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Foreign visitation to Japan is inching up to pre-pandemic levels if the following is any indication.

From The Japan Times:

The number of foreign nationals who stayed at hotels and other accommodation facilities in Japan topped 10 million in April for the first time since January 2020, government data showed Wednesday, buoyed by a weaker yen and an increase in the number of international flights.

The figure rose more than nineteenfold from a year before to 10.38 million, equivalent to 92% of the total in April 2019 before the coronavirus outbreak, according to the preliminary data released by the Japan Tourism Agency.

To read more, go here. 

290,000 Foreign Visitors Came To Japan In October

Above, the Asahi Beer Hall and Tokyo Skytree. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Once Japan lifted its restrictions on foreign visitors, the numbers of travelers into the country soared.

The numbers are now in and the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) has provided them to the Japanese media.

From the Asahi Shimbun:

Around 290,000 foreign tourists entered Japan in October, 15 times the figure for September, as the government eased its COVID-related border restrictions, data showed.

Specifically, 288,909 foreigners visited Japan in October for sightseeing purposes, for a daily average of 9,320, according to statistics released by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan on Nov. 15.

In September, the daily average was 634, for a total of about 19,000 foreign tourists.

Overall in October, 498,600 travelers from abroad entered Japan, about 2.4 times more than the 206,500 who arrived in September, the Japan National Tourist Organization (JNTO) said on Nov. 16.

The number was 22.5 times the figure for the same month in 2021, and also the largest since February 2020, when Japan started to impose border restrictions to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

To read more, go here. 

Japan Mulls Allowing Foreign Tourists In June

Above, the Asahi Beer Hall and the Tokyo Skytree. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This has to be one of those cases of "when I see it, I'll believe it."

The Japanese government is expected to announce their foreign tourism plan tomorrow. They are going to double the quota of foreign tourists allowed in to 20,000 and relax other restrictions.

According to the Mainichi Shimbun:

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Japanese government is making final arrangements to resume accepting foreign tourists in June, further relaxing its border controls imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic, sources close to the matter said Wednesday.

Since March, Japan has been easing its COVID-19 border controls, planning to double the cap on overseas arrivals to 20,000 per day starting on June 1. The country will accept foreign tourists within the quota, the sources said.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is expected to announce the plan Thursday at the earliest, they added.

To read more, go here. 

Tokyo Skytree Reached Full Height 11 Years Ago

Above, a view of Tokyo Skytree from Roppongi's Tokyo City View. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This month marks 11 years when the Tokyo Skytree reached its full height while it was under construction. Construction of the Tokyo Skytree began on July 14, 2008 and it opened on May 22, 2012. 

Above, Tokyo Skytree under construction in December 2010. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

According to Wikipedia:

Tokyo Skytree is a broadcasting and observation tower in Sumida, Tokyo. It became the tallest structure in Japan in 2010 and reached its full height of 634 meters in March 2011, making it the tallest tower in the world, displacing the Canton Tower, and the second tallest structure in the world after the Burj Khalifa.

Above, a view of Tokyo Skytree from ground level. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I first saw the Tokyo Skytree for myself in December 2010. I visited it in 2014 but didn't go up to any of its observation decks until 2015. 

Above, Tokyo Skytree at night. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Tokyo Skytree replaced Tokyo Tower as the primary Tokyo broadcasting tower as tall buildings around Tokyo Tower affected its broadcasting signals. 

Above, a view of the Sumida River, Asahi Beer Hall and Asakusa from
 an observation deck of the Tokyo Skytree. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It is only blocks away from the Asahi Beer Hall and the Sumida River. 

The official Tokyo Skytree website can be accessed here.

Travel Bans Turn ‘Cool Japan’ Into ‘Cruel Japan’

Above, the Tokyo Skytree under construction behind the Asahi Beer Hall in 2010. Photo by Armand Vaquer,

Japan has been closed off to tourists for nearly two years. Others, such as students, are in limbo. They may have visas, but they still are having difficulty being allowed in.

Despite closing off the country, COVID-19 and its Omicron variant still managed to enter the country.

Because of the measures taken by the Japanese government, Japan's reputation has been tarnished. Asia Times has an article on this. The once "Cool Japan" is now known as something vastly different.

They begin it with:

TOKYO – In recent years, Japan has promoted itself as “Cool Japan,” seeking to lure tourists with its futuristic trappings, its appealing traditional culture and the modern draws of manga, anime and a more general warm, fuzzy cuteness.

However, after two years of essentially closing the doors on foreigners seeking to enter the country, while keeping students, resident workers and spouses hanging in limbo, that image has changed.

Behold the new brand: “Cruel Japan.”

Japan’s staunch, pro-business newspaper the Nikkei has been reporting on the damage the travel ban has done to Japan’s reputation and soft power globally. An article published on February 11 referred to the world’s third-largest economy as 残酷日本, or Cruel Japan.

To read more, go here. 

Asahi Super Dry Beer Getting A Recipe Tweak

Above, an Asahi Super Dry neon advertising sign in Asakusa. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Remember when Coca-Cola changed its formula of the original Coke back in the mid-1980s called "New Coke"? That change went over with the cola-drinking public like a worn out Pepsi. They reverted it back to its original formula due to the outcry.

Well, Asahi Breweries is "tweaking" the recipe for its popular Asahi Super Dry beer. That is one beer I can't get in New Mexico. Believe me, I've looked.

According to the Japan Times:

Asahi Group Holdings Ltd. will tweak the recipe of its flagship Super Dry beer for the first time ever, betting that an overhaul of the country’s best-selling brew will resonate with drinkers.

The new formula, which will go on sale next month, claims to improve the drinkability and aroma of the beverage while maintaining its hallmark crispness, using techniques such as the addition of hops late in the brewing process, Asahi Breweries said in a statement Thursday.

The change in formula includes a revamp of the beer brand’s design and logo, and follows two years in which Japan’s breweries have struggled with reduced alcohol sales and changing consumer tastes because of the pandemic. There’s also a longer-term shift away from beer in the country, where consumers have been switching to lower-calorieAsahi alternatives such as mixed cocktails, a trend that’s also been seen in the U.S.

 

Above, the Asahi Beer Hall next to the Sumida River in Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If it ain't broke, don't "fix" it!

To read more, go here.

Japan To Ease Entry For Businesspeople, Students But Not Tourists

Above, the Asahi Beer Hall in Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japan is easing entry into the country for businesspeople and students, but not for tourists.

This policy is due to the drop in coronvirus cases in Japan.

According to Nikkei Asia:

TOKYO -- Japan looks to let foreigners visit the country for short business trips, study abroad and technical training in an easing of its strict coronavirus-related entry rules, Nikkei has learned.

Tourists are not included in this round. The government is expected to announce the policy changes as early as this week, with implementation to begin this month.

With new COVID-19 cases down substantially from record levels over the summer, Japan aims to gradually loosen a de facto entry ban on foreigners that has become a source of growing frustration among businesses. Top corporate lobby Keidanren has been among the advocates of a more flexible approach.

The quarantine requirement for short-term business travelers will be cut to as little as three days for vaccinated visitors, from 10 days now. Companies and organizations receiving foreign nationals will be required to monitor their activities.

The shorter quarantine requirement will also apply to Japanese nationals returning from business trips abroad.

To read more, go here. 

Japan Announces "Pandemic Exit Strategy"

Above, the Asahi Beer Hall in Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

In the short term, this doesn't affect foreign nationals who want to travel to Japan. But, there is always the possibility if that things work out, eventually, foreign nationals can visit Japan again. 

Japan has announced a "pandemic exit strategy" in order to re-ignite their economy.

According to the Japan Times:

The government on Thursday announced a pandemic exit strategy that will ease restrictions on travel, dining and public events for vaccinated people in a bid to reignite the economy, restore public morale and incentivize inoculations.

The plan will reportedly begin on an experimental basis as early as October and then become fully operational in November. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has said that by November vaccines will have been administered to all people who wish to receive a shot.

Earlier Thursday, Yasutoshi Nishimura, the minister leading the country’s pandemic response, announced that the country’s state of emergency will be extended in 19 prefectures from Sunday until Sept. 30.

Experts and advisers have been advocating a carrot-and-stick approach since last year. But critics say that revealing an exit strategy — or even discussing one — during an ongoing wave will send the wrong message, a pitfall the central government hopes to avoid.

“New cases may appear to be declining but it’s crucial that the public does not let its guard down,” Nishimura said during the opening remarks of the COVID-19 subcommittee meeting Thursday.

To read more, go here. 

Tokyo Olympics Spectator Tickets Canceled

Above, the Asahi Beer Hall in Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Olympic Games in Tokyo will go on, but largely because the Japanese government botched getting the coronavirus under control with an effective vaccination program, there will be no spectators.

Reuters reported:

TOKYO, July 9 (Reuters) - A Japanese official choked up with tears on Friday as he apologised for the cancellation of Olympic tickets, a moment that crystallised the country's pain at seeing the Tokyo 2020 Games overshadowed by a worsening COVID-19 pandemic.

The display of emotion from Hidenori Suzuki, the official in charge of ticket sales for Tokyo 2020, came a day after organisers bowed to political pressure and rising infections in the capital, barring almost all fans from the Games just two weeks before they are due to start.

Two visiting Olympic delegation members tested positive for COVID-19, media said on Friday, in a reminder of the risk as infections rise in the capital.

In hindsight, instead of postponing the Olympics a year, Japan probably should have cut its losses and canceled them last year. 

It is going to be a long time before Japan can open up its borders again for tourism.

To read more, go here. 

Foreign Olympics Fans Barred From Games and They Want Their Money Back

Above, the Tokyo Skytree and Asahi Beer Hall. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Before the pandemic hit, I had contemplated taking a trip to Japan last year. But the pandemic nixed all that.

Now, it has been announced that foreign Olympics fans are barred from attending the Olympics in Tokyo this summer and wondering when (or if) they will get their money back for events tickets purchased and, in some cases, travel expenses. Ouch!

The Salt Lake Tribune posted:

The announcement last week that international spectators would be barred from this summer’s Tokyo Olympics brought some closure to thousands of fans who had been wondering for months whether they would be traveling to Japan later this year.

Almost immediately, though, many of these newly jilted ticket holders began nursing a new headache: uncertainty about if they would get back the money they had prepaid for tickets and travel — more than $10,000, in some cases — and, if so, when exactly they would get it.

“At this point they’ve held our funds for two years already, and I’m concerned it’s going to take months more to get them back again,” said Monica Treece, an Olympic fan from Denver who started the process of buying her tickets for the Tokyo Games in the summer of 2019. “Everyone is still in the dark. We’re just waiting.”

Similar worries were expressed in Olympic circles long before Saturday, when Tokyo organizers announced the ban on foreign fans. The decision confirmed an outcome that many had expected as the pandemic plowed on around the world, but organizers offered no road map for fans eager to get their money back.

To read more, go here.

 

Japan Weighs State of Emergency In Tokyo

Above, the Asahi Beer Hall in Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If Tokyo is going to host the postponed summer Olympics this year, they are going to have to get a handle on the coronavirus outbreaks.

The government is under fire for "inaction" by critics.

According to Reuters:

TOKYO (Reuters) - Public health experts advising Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga called on Tuesday for the swift imposition of a state of emergency in the Tokyo area as daily COVID-19 cases hit a record and some citizens accused the government of dragging its feet.

The government’s top spokesman, Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato, said a decision would likely come on Thursday on whether to impose the second state of emergency since the start of the pandemic.

Japanese media said it would take effect by Friday and last about a month. The government is anxious about the economic impact of another state of emergency as it prepares to host the Olympics in the summer.

To read more, go here. 

Top 10 Japan Travel Destinations for 2021

Above, the Asahi Beer Hall in Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Wondering where to go next year in Japan (if we're allowed to even enter the country)?

GaijinPot.com has posted their top ten list of Japan travel destinations for 2021.

They begin with:

GaijinPot Travel has released its fifth-annual index of the Top 10 Japan Travel Destinations for 2021. Although Tokyo and other big cities are always popular among travelers, this year, with everyone stressed out and cooped up at home, we saw more interest in the rural regions.

By researching current Japan travel trends and compiling data on innovative initiatives that local governments, business owners and communities are using to attract international visitors, the GaijinPot Travel team compiled a nomination list of the best places to visit in Japan. Thanks to our readers casting their own votes for the top spots, we were able to narrow down the nominations for a final top 10 list.

The chosen 2021 destinations are for anyone looking for an escape. Quiet towns, secluded woods, mammoth lakes and lonely mountain tops, whether you want to seek out rural Japan or discover the ultimate social distancing location, the final top 10 destinations are some of the very best you can find.

To read more, go here. 

Japan's Go To Travel Campaign Timing Is Way Off

Above, the Asahi Beer Hall in Tokyo next to the Sumida River. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For many things in life and business, timing is often the key to success.

Japan's Go To Travel campaign has come under fire as coronavirus is still causing problems within the country.

Many in Japan see starting the campaign now, while COVID-19 still wreaks havoc, as ridiculous.

The Japan Times reported:

With coronavirus cases rising in Tokyo and Osaka, the government will exclude travel to and from Tokyo in its Go To Travel Campaign slated to kick off next Wednesday, tourism minister Kazuyoshi Akaba said Thursday. 

Speaking to reporters at the Prime Minister’s Office, Akaba, minister of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism, said the government will launch the campaign as planned under those conditions. 

“We will be excluding from the campaign those who are making Tokyo their tourist destination and those who reside in Tokyo traveling outside the prefecture,” he said. 

Over the past few days, local leaders, opposition party leaders and some within the ruling parties have increased their calls to revise, postpone or possibly cancel the campaign — a central government program with a ¥1.7 trillion budget to promote domestic tourism. 

Local governments fear an influx of visitors from urban areas will lead to a spike in infections they are ill-equipped to handle.

To read more, go here. 

CEOWORLD Magazine: Top 5 Reasons To Visit Japan

Above, the Asahi Beer Hall and "Golden Flame" sculpture in Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Different people have different reasons for visiting Japan. But most of them are covered in the top five reasons for visiting Japan given in an article by CEOWORLD.

They start with:

Japan is the small island country which has been portrayed in many different ways in many forms of media, be it the baffling but endearing country in Lost In Translation, the dull – almost everyman like surrealism shown in the works of Haruki Murakami – or the wondrous, colourful, bright and dreamlike portrayal in Hayao Miyazaki’s movies. 

A visit to Japan promises to be a thrilling and enchanting experience to anyone, be it someone almost entirely unfamiliar with the nation, or someone looking for an opportunity to travel. Following are the top 5 reasons to visit Japan!

To read more, go here. 

Live Japan: All You Need To Know About The Tokyo Skytree

Above, a view of the Asahi Beer Hall, Sumida River and Asakusa from the Tokyo Skytree. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

While the iconic Tokyo Tower has a secured place in Japanese (and kaiju) history, the Tokyo Skytree is one of Tokyo's biggest tourist attractions.

Live Japan has posted an article about the Skytree so potential visitors could be fully informed about its history and what they can expect to see and do there.

They begin their article with:

Opened in 2012, TOKYO SKYTREE® is one of Japan's newest landmarks. There are lots of fun things to do at the iconic tower other than just going up and enjoying the view, albeit the panorama from the observation deck is impressive! Let’s take a closer look at Tokyo Skytree and its many unique things to experience and discover!

Above, a view of the Tokyo Skytree from Kappabashi "Kitchen Town". Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read more, go here. 

What To Do In Tokyo At Night

Above, a view of the Tokyo Skytree and Asahi Beer Hall across
the Sumida River from Asakusa. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Experiencing Tokyo is a event in of itself, but experiencing the city at night is something else.

Tokyo Cheapo has an article on things to do in Tokyo at night.

They begin with:

During the day Tokyo is awash with tourists milling about the streets with a seemingly infinite amount of time to spend. But under the cloak of darkness which offers a little respite from the responsibility that day brings, is when Tokyo is at its prime. With the working day all but a distant memory, it’s when the locals actually get to come out and play. 

If you’re looking to discover a different Tokyo, get out of the izakaya and get exploring. From weird touring, late-night book browsing and letting off a little steam at the batting centers, here are some places to start.

To read more, go here. 

Japan See First Decline In Tourists In Five Years

Above, the Asahi Beer Hall in Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japan is seeing a drop in foreign visitors for the first time in five years. Recent disasters a being blamed for the decline.

The Japan News (Yomiuri Shimbun) reported:

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — Japan saw the first decline in the number of visitors from abroad in five years and eight months in September, due to major natural disasters early in the month, government estimates showed on Tuesday. 

The number of inbound visitors in the month is estimated at 2,159,600, down 5.3 percent year on year, the Japan National Tourism Organization said. 

Many people in East Asia are believed to have canceled their planned visits to the country in the aftermath of Typhoon Jebi, which caused a temporary shutdown of Kansai International Airport in Osaka Prefecture, as well as a powerful earthquake in Hokkaido.

To read more, go here.