Naoya Haraikawa, commissioner of the Japan Tourism Agency, announced on Wednesday that the agency would continue to closely monitor trends, including those from regions outside Hong Kong, and would provide further updates if necessary.
The JNTO office in Hong Kong also posted a message on its social media, urging people to rely on information from institutions backed by scientific evidence.
If the number of visitors surpasses 40 million this year, it will set a new record for Japan. However, global economic concerns, particularly regarding potential economic downturns due to US President Donald Trump’s tariff policies, make future projections difficult.
Currently, the exchange rate is 144 yen to 1 US dollar (approximately 4.43 yen to 1 Thai baht). Additionally, sales of duty-free goods in department stores are also showing signs of decline.
Yayoi Sakanaka, senior economist at Mizuho Research & Technologies, commented that the growth in tourist numbers to Japan is likely to slow down due to a shortage of hotels in cities like Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto, as well as the increased value of the yen, making Japan less attractive to some tourists.
AloJapan.com