Overcrowding in Japan due to the decline of the yen

According to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), the number of foreign visitors to Japan in March increased by 69.5% from the previous year to 3.08 million, setting a new record for the number of monthly visitors. The decline of the yen is one of several reasons why tourists are flocking, according to experts.

A 34-year low was reached on Monday when the Japanese yen fell to 160 Yen against the US dollar. Experts say that the yen's depreciation is partly due to its depreciation against the dollar and that factors such as the difference in interest rates between Japan and the United States, the trade balance, and market speculation may have an impact. Japan experienced an influx of tourists due to the relentless devaluation of its national currency. Foreign tourists took advantage of the difference in exchange rates and enjoyed the charms of Tokyo. 4.444 billion tourists visited Japan, not only from European countries and America but also from many Asian countries, bringing smiles to the tourism industry. Spectators faced the fierce competition of tourists in Tokyo's Asakusa district, benefiting from fluctuating exchange rates and experiencing 'the vibrant city'.

The Japanese Tourism Agency reported that foreign tourists' spending in Japan has hit a record high at 1. Also, 75 trillion yen ($11.3 billion) in the January-March period due to the weak yen, the highest amount in three months. It became the standard. Japan faces several challenges as it pursues its goal of attracting 60 million foreign tourists annually by 2030, including negative impacts of the tourism boom such as waste pollution and traffic congestion. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has instructed relevant ministers to strengthen measures against "over-tourism,'' such as diverting tourists concentrated in urban areas to rural areas. The Japan Tourism Agency has selected 20 regions to implement model projects aimed at addressing the issue of overtourism, which has a negative impact on the lives of local residents and the natural environment due to the increase in tourists.

In the 2024 fiscal year, local government officials and residents across 20 regions will develop plans to ease traffic congestion and raise awareness of tourist behavior. Unsurprisingly, after the country fully welcomed foreign tourists in October 2022, Japan has been flooded with record numbers of new arrivals. The record annual arrivals of 31.88 million were set in the pre-pandemic period in 2019, and the previous monthly peak arrivals of 2,991,189 were recorded in July 2019. The amount spent by tourists in 2023 will reach a record high of 5.3 trillion yen.