Japan's Problem With Tourists: But Why Does It Want More? | Insight | Full Episode

Comments · 805

• SA

  @sadsett · 1 year ago

  TLDR: They don't want the Gaijins, they just want the Gaijin's money. Saved you 45 mins.

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• AD

  @adinsaane · 1 year ago

  I understand the frustration of the locals there. We were part of a group tour there. A small subgroup within ours was very disrespectful! They were vaping everywhere, smoking cigarettes in public areas, speaking loudly in foreign languages, and laughing out loud. It was extremely infuriating! They ignored what our tour guide said. They acted like they owned the place just because they spent money. It seemed like they thought they were in Florida or something like that. How hard is it to do some research and show respect for the local culture when visiting a foreign country? People often feel entitled just because they are tourists with money!

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• MU

  @murmuring.rock.2008 · 1 year ago (edited)

  One of the most important things is that no matter where are you coming from and what country are you visiting as a tourist just be RESPECTFUL for the culture of the certain place. That's not that hard. Lots of tourists should quickly understand that it doesn't matter that you're there only for few days/weeks, you want to have fun, doesn't matter how much you've paid for your trip, just behave like you would like others behave at your own home, unless you like when someone is screaming while talking, leaving trash everywhere and doing other stupid and shameful things while being e.g. drunk. And it'd be nice if people finally would stop visiting countries only because they are popular so you can brag infront of your friends/at work or for the likes on social media.

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• MA

  @manegi2600 · 1 year ago

  Correction - the sign at 27.50 does not say "No foreigners" - It says No vacancy in English, but then at the bottom it says "If you can read this Japanese you are welcome". So they are just trying to avoid customers who dont understand / speak Japanese

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• BA

  @ban2llatte · 1 year ago

  Honestly feels like their govt needs to step up to ensure tourism in Japan is sustainable and does not affect the locals’ everyday as much.

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• AR

  @arikevin · 1 year ago

  During semester break in my poly days back in 2006, I always go to Japan and travel around the country. It was super peaceful and frontline staffs were courteous. those days where local tourists are more of a common sights, and the best period ever.

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• MO

  @montes40 · 1 year ago

  The locals are tired of it, but the business owners aren't.

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• GU

  @gula_rata · 1 year ago

  Government want tourists, because of the tourist industry money.. But the local people don't want it because foreigners cause disturbance to the local culture.. The government is ignoring the local people's wishes.

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• 78

  @78Mongster · 1 year ago (edited)

  I visited Japan last year. The public bus was something i did not enjoy. To drop off only at the front......and with so many people on the bus....and yes, mostly foreigners.<br><br>If I am the locals, it wouldn&apos;t be pleasant for me too. It&apos;s was my first time there, i am grateful to my family members who visited before me taught me to be respectful at all times. This is probably why people always say there is absolutely no one who don&apos;t like Japan. Clean, cultured, polite and safe country to visit.

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• HE

  @hey.soledad · 1 year ago

  I went to Japan early this year and as much as I would like to visit the places that went viral in social media, I went to places that you don&apos;t see being talked about often online, and those places turned out to be one of my core memories. Visiting Japan is different from &apos;experiencing&apos; the country.

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• KA

  @kayzeetube8780 · 1 year ago

  I went to Tokyo and was overwhelmed by the tourists, so I went down to Kyoto to avoid the crowds holy ballsack, it’s nothing like I remember. I can feel some of the locals are tired/annoyed of the tourist

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• TW

  @twowheelsintokyo7039 · 1 year ago

  I&apos;ve lived in Japan for many years, and have seen the increase in tourism over time. When I moved here, about 12 million visitors came to Japan each year, mostly from other parts of Asia, and a large percentage of these were business travelers. There are several factors driving the current boom. First, the weak yen makes Japan affordable, and even more so because Japan wasn&apos;t hit with the same inflation which strangled Europe and North America. Unlike these places, Japan didn&apos;t close down its economy during the pandemic, there were no lockdowns or restrictions in Japan during that time, only a prohibition against foreign visitors. Other things which make Japan attractive is its safety. In Japan you don&apos;t have to worry about pickpockets, muggers, or terrorist attacks, Japan is an incredibly safe and crime-free country. The food is excellent, Tokyo has more Michelin Star restaurants than the entire 50 United States combined. <br><br>Japan&apos;s government loves tourism for a few reasons. The foreign currency travelers exchange for yen increases Japan&apos;s currency holdings, adding value to its balance sheet, and stabilizing the value of the yen. Foreigners spend lots of money during their visits, but they don&apos;t consume Japan&apos;s public services, such as hospitals, schools, subsidized housing and such. Local merchants not only benefit from selling to tourists who are already getting a good deal because of the weak yen, but tourist also don&apos;t have to pay consumption tax at many stores, which makes goods even cheaper. In these stores you just show your passport, and the tax is waived, unlike places in Europe were you are taxed up front, then have to wait in a forever long line at the airport with your receipts to get your tax refunded to you. <br><br>Japan&apos;s rural areas have been suffering as younger people have left for the cities. Japan&apos;s population has been falling, though the population in Tokyo continues to grow. Our condominium in Roppongi is now worth more than 4 times what we paid for it. But in the Japanese countryside we could literally buy a home for what we spend for our parking spot for one month. There are countless tourist resorts around Japan which were built during its economic boom, but which are now abandoned. <br><br>As interesting as Tokyo, Kyoto, and their tourist destination spots are, I would recommend people go to Aomori, or Atami, or the Noto Peninsula, places renowned for their natural beauty, but which are pretty much unknown to foreign visitors.

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