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Tokyo
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A surprisingly large number of Japanese say that travel is no longer a priority for them.
A survey conducted last year by global intelligence company Morning Consult showed that 35% of Japanese respondents said they were not inclined to travel again, the largest number of any country.
Tetsu Nakamura, a professor at Tamagawa University and a tourism behavior and psychology expert, says the results are not surprising.
“In 2019, even before the pandemic, the number of (Japanese) traveling abroad at least once a year was about 10%,” Nakamura says.
According to a study by Nakamura in 2016, they are divided into “passives”, those who say they would like to travel abroad but will not, and “inhibitionists” – people who show no interest in traveling abroad and will not do.
Together, these two groups comprise about 70% of the respondents in their pre-pandemic study, with “deniers” comprising about 30%.
despite being japan Most powerful passport in the world Japanese people less than 20% really have passports In first place, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan,
For some of these “never travelers”, domestic travel within Japan is sufficient.
“Many Japanese feel that traveling abroad takes a lot of time, skill and planning, even before setting foot on foreign land,” says Nakamura.
Hiroo Ishida, 25, a caretaker in Chiba Prefecture and motorcycle enthusiast with a love for Harley Davidson bikes, says it resonated with him.
“I have some desire to go to America, mostly because Japan is shown, in Western media, as the place for motorcyclists to go, but I most likely won’t go because just planning it is an inconvenience. is full of features that motorcyclists find attractive,” says Ishida.
His last trip abroad was a field trip to Guam in high school; He says that since then he has never had the desire to go abroad.
Japanese aviation and travel analyst Kotaro Toriyami says the thought of complicated travel procedures overseas due to the pandemic and the risk of infection deters people from traveling abroad.
Furthermore, he claims that the pandemic has changed the “Japanese mindset”.
“People who used to travel … are now afraid to go abroad because of the risk of infection, but it is okay to travel domestically. I think they are realizing more and more that there are many attractive tourist destinations within Japan and that people can have fun without having to go abroad,” Toriyami says.
The analyst noted that those who say they “never want to travel again” may be reluctant to travel any time soon until the pandemic is over.
The cost of travel is also a consideration.
yen is on It’s weakest in decadesand many Japanese workers hasn’t increased in 30 years,
Lower disposable income means that young people may be more inclined to stay at home or explore nearby places.
“Compared to older generations, they are less likely to go abroad because they do not have much money. In addition, many young people find online entertainment or smartphone games more enjoyable than traveling abroad,” Toriyami explained. “Many elderly people would like to travel abroad again after Covid settles down.”
Aki Fukuyama, 87, is a “semi-retired” financial executive of a hospitality group. He has had several golf trips overseas and would like to go again but cites his health and age as the main reasons why he is unlikely to make another international trip.
“I used to go (abroad) quite often until about 15 or 20 years ago,” he said. “It doesn’t help that most of my friends have passed away. If someone invites me, I plan to travel domestically, probably somewhere nearby.
Nakamura’s study suggests that a positive attitude wins out over external pressure to refrain from traveling abroad, so people who have always loved to travel won’t let social conformity get in the way.
“People who always have a positive attitude about traveling abroad try to do so whenever they get the chance,” Nakamura says. “This is true both before and after the pandemic. The people we are seeing now going abroad are people…they can’t wait to go back (abroad).’
Yuma Kase, 25, is a Tokyo-based finance worker who says she enjoys visiting new countries and interacting with people from different backgrounds.
“Preparing to move to a foreign country is part of traveling and the excitement, I think. Knowing that I have to practice what to say when I get there or doing some research about cultural differences that I Looking forward,” says Kasey.
But her love of discovery isn’t genetic. Her mother hates traveling and prefers to stick to a fixed daily routine. “My mom was an outlet mall in 2022 in the far distance,” Kase laughs.
According to the latest data from the Japan National Tourism Organization, the number of Japanese overseas travelers is down 86.2% in 2022, to around 2.7 million people, compared to a figure of 20 million in 2019.
“People who used to go only because it was cheap or didn’t particularly like to travel … they’re not traveling anymore,” Toriyami says.
Above: Tokyo’s Shinjuku district at night. Photo via Adobe Stock.