A new government study has revealed that
foreign visitors
to
Japan
ranked the lack of public trash cans, particularly at locations such as railway stations, as the most annoying aspect of their travels through the countryside.
The Japan Tourism Agency stated that more than 4,000 respondents indicated that 21.9 percent were part of this group.
tourists
When surveyed at five key airports, this was identified as their primary concern.
The survey took place from December through January across five key airports: New Chitose, Narita, and Haneda near Tokyo, along with Kansai Airport.
Fukuoka
– as
travelers ready to leave Japan
.
Even though the number of these complaints dropped by roughly eight percentage points compared to the prior year, numerous tourists mentioned that frequently they were left with no option but to take their waste back to where they were staying.
Public trash cans used to be widespread across the nation, but numerous ones have apparently been taken out in recent times because of security worries raised by terrorist incidents such as the 1995 attack.
Tokyo
subway sarin gas attack and the 2004 Madrid train bombings.
In Japan, littering is completely banned and could lead to penalties ranging from fines to more severe consequences based on the severity of the offense. It’s common practice for residents here to bring along trash bags and dispose of their waste at home when they intend to enjoy an outdoor meal, like during picnics or sports events.
Japan welcomed a record 36 million tourists in 2024
According to data published in January, the Japan National Tourism Organisation projected that
Over 36.8 million individuals traveled to the country.
For either business or leisure purposes in 2024, exceeding the prior peak of 31.88 million seen in 2019.
As indicated in the survey, as reported by
Kyodo News
Other frequent grievances involved communication issues – reported by 15.2 percent of visitors – primarily because employees at eateries and various locations did not speak English. Additionally, overcrowding at popular attractions was mentioned by 13.1 percent of respondents.
The increase in tourism to Japan can partly be credited to the weakened yen, making the nation more budget-friendly for foreign travelers.
The rising figures, nonetheless, have
raised worries regarding “overcrowding” at well-liked travel spots
, presenting difficulties in regulating tourist movement and safeguarding natural habitats.
In January, it was reported that the popular travel destination of
Kyoto
was notably increasing the accommodation tax – a set charge levied on non-residents by the government and collected through hotels and guesthouses – as part of efforts to promote sustainable tourism.
In November last year, several
It was reported that Japanese cities were planning to implement an “increased bathing tax.”
For guests staying overnight at hot spring resorts.
Japan has also increased the entrance fees.
limited the number of visitors
to address overpopulation on the
iconic Mount Fuji.
The Japanese authorities have been encouraging international tourists to visit at less busy periods, discover smaller attractions, and follow traditional practices.
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