Japan Wants to Attract More Foreign Visitors to Regional Areas

The Japanese government has set a goal of increasing the annual number of foreign visitors to 60 million and their consumption to 15 trillion yen (S$130 billion) in 2030.

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TOKYO -

The number of foreign visitors to Japan and consumption by visitors in the first half of 2025 reached a record high, thanks to recovering demand after the Covid-19 pandemic and the weak yen.

Measures need to be taken to attract foreign visitors to regional areas to achieve the goals set by the government. At the same time, it will also be necessary to alleviate overtourism, which adversely affects the lives of residents.

In Nikko, Tochigi prefecture, a course that lets visitors try their hand at making Nikko geta, a traditional handicraft, is a big hit among foreign visitors at a tourist spot.

"I wanted to visit somewhere that I didn't know (about)," said a 40-year-old tourist from Singapore, who visited the area on Aug. 10, adding that she is happy "with this special experience in Nikko."

She added that she has been to Japan about 10 times and has already visited famous sightseeing destinations such as Tokyo and Osaka.