Japan's in-bound tourist numbers tumble in 2009
Establishing the 'foreign tourist in Japan' identity requries a photo in front of Asakusa's Kaminarimon. Otherwise you are just a foreign tourist poseur. (Photo by Flickr user danobrienmuzkya)Foreign tourism down in Japan
Due to the global recession and fears about the dreaded swine flu -- ahem, N1H1 virus -- foreign tourists in Japan decreased 18.7% for 2009 compared to the previous year.
Japan has not seen a decrease like this since 1986. In that year, the yen spiked in value after the 1985 Plaza Accords, making Japan a much more expensive destination. The strong yen is not helping this year either.
2009's 6.79 million tourists is still a long way from the government's new goal of 10 million per year by 2010. Imagine the economic impact of 10 million tourists. If they only spend ¥100 each, that's ¥1 billion. So think about the total revenues if they spend... ¥3,400. Or more.
In other news
Manabu Oshio indicted again: This time the charges are: possession of obscure club drug TFMPP and improper abandonment of his hostess companion's body. We also learned that Oshio will go in front of a lay-judge jury at his trial.
Maki Goto's mother dies in fall: The mother of the former Morning Musume singer fell out of a third-story window. Suicide is suspected.
Chinese tourists lose the Punctuality Award: Japan Probe looks at Japanese tourist guide frustration with Chinese tourists being off schedule. This may be a perfect example of the late Samuel Huntington's Clash of Civilizations theory.
