Japan's tourism boom lifts economy, but brings headaches

[yuiyoshida]

TOKYO —

From the slopes of Mount Fuji to the temple streets of Kyoto, tourists are cramming Japan’s prime sightseeing spots, puzzling their way through Tokyo subways, and splashing out cash on cosmetics, sushi and high-tech toilet seats.

The cheap yen, easier visas and other initiatives are luring foreign travelers eager to stretch their budgets and see some UNESCO World Heritage sites, bringing in welcome cash as well as myriad complications.

Tourism was among many Japanese industries that limped through more than 20 years of sluggish economic growth as locals tightened their belts and most foreigners stayed away, scared off by tales of 20,000 yen melons and other scandalous prices.

But Japan has become a hot destination as the exchange rate weakened from about 80 yen to the U.S. dollar in late 2012 to its current level of about 123 yen. Foreign visitors exceeded 10 million for the first time in 2013 and rose to 13.4 million last year. The aim is to have 20 million by 2020, when Tokyo will host the Olympic Games.

http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/japans-tourism-boom-lifts-economy-but-brings-headaches

[aspirant]

1. How about the nuclear oceanside plant,

is that causing any concern?

[yuiyoshida]

2. Rather doubt that tourists

are visiting Fukushima, and I am sure it has some kind of impact on tourism in general. Taiwan and South Korea have both picked up more tourists, but then there is the concern for MERS in South Korea. http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026889359

[djean111]

3. Thank you for this article!

While I worked in Tokyo (1995-2000, off and on) and was not a tourist per se, it was so much fun and easy to get around. The trains were amazingly easy to use. Being polite goes a long way. The little bow, before launching into conversation felt so right that it always took me a couple of weeks to stop doing that, when I was back home. And I always apologized for not knowing Japanese - it seems wrong for someone to apologize to me about not speaking English in their own country.
I did not have the "tourist" experience, it was 18 hour days, shopping for groceries, figuring out how to do my laundry, etc. But I would recommend a visit to Japan to everyone. Maybe I am too easily pleased ( ), but it was fun just riding the monorail out over Tokyo Bay and going to a mall. I did visit some tourist places, but Tokyo is remarkably easy to get around in by yourself, and with no Japanese language skills.