Because the Japanese authorities eases journey restrictions, vacationers from Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Vietnam, Southeast Asia, and different international locations have elevated. Nonetheless, nonetheless topic to China’s “zero-COVID” coverage, most Chinese language nonetheless fail to journey overseas.
Japan’s borders at the moment are open to unbiased international vacationers and Japan has reintroduced visa-free entry. Quarantine and on-arrival testing are now not enforced, though vacationers are nonetheless required to indicate both triple-vaccinated standing or proof of a unfavorable COVID check taken 72 hours previous to departure.
An estimated 10,000 individuals booked flights to Japan within the first week after the nation lifted its every day restrict of fifty,000 individuals on Oct. 11, Nikkei Asia reported. Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways began every day flights to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport on Nov. 1 and can restart 4 weekly flights to Sapporo on Dec. 1. There will likely be 50 flights per week from Hong Kong to Japan by the tip of October and 120 per week by December.
In 2019, a complete of greater than 31.88 million vacationers visited Japan, spending greater than 4.8 trillion yen ($32.3 billion). After the COVID-19 pandemic brought about the Japanese authorities to tighten its border controls in 2020, the variety of guests dropped sharply. The variety of guests in August 2022 was solely 7 p.c of the August 2019 quantity.
Vacationers from Hong Kong, specifically, like to go to Tokyo, Osaka, and Okinawa. Japanese anime is massively widespread in Hong Kong, and lots of Hong Kongers love Japanese meals. In 2019, earlier than the outbreak of COVID-19, about 2.29 million individuals from Hong Kong visited Japan, equal to one-third of its inhabitants.
Takaji Sumizu, head of Japan Airways’ Hong Kong workplace, instructed Nikkei Chinese language that because the leisure of restrictions by Japan, bookings have been pouring in. The variety of flight reservations elevated by greater than 1,400 within the 2 weeks from Oct. 11 to 31. “It’s anticipated that greater than 90 p.c of the bookings are from Hong Kong, and even enterprise courses had been properly booked,” Takaji mentioned.
Vacationer Sizzling Spots
Now that Japan’s border coverage has been relaxed, the higher restrict of entry has been lifted, and unbiased excursions have resumed, what do vacationers need to do most after they go to Japan? Not too long ago, an Epoch Occasions reporter visited some retailers and scenic spots in Osaka to be taught what guests need to do after they come to Japan.
At midday on Oct. 30, many international vacationers had been consuming seafood barbecue at Kuromon Market in Osaka. Most of them had been Asian, from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Cambodia.
Mr. Wong (a pseudonym), who was visiting from Hong Kong instructed The Epoch Occasions that his household visited Japan 4 years in the past.
“Lots of issues have occurred in Hong Kong up to now few years, and with the epidemic prevention management, persons are beneath numerous stress,” he mentioned. “In order quickly as Japan opened up for unbiased excursions, [we] instantly booked tickets and a resort. This time, [we] will primarily go to Osaka, Kyoto, and Nara. [We] plan to go to Hokkaido within the New Yr.”
At Osaka Fort, the reporter noticed a lot of tour buses from South Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, and different Southeast Asian international locations. On the Tenshu, the central tower of the fort, the reporter noticed some Taiwanese and Hong Kongers, all of whom had been visiting Japan independently.
Coming to Store
At an electronics retailer in Namba, a employees member instructed The Epoch Occasions reporter that when the Japanese authorities opened its doorways to international tour teams in June, many shops ready for a rush of vacationers having fun with duty-shopping and particular vacationer coupons. Though they’re seeing extra enterprise, it’s less than pre-pandemic ranges.
“Now the variety of vacationer procuring is rising day by day, however it’s nonetheless removed from the buying energy earlier than the pandemic. [It’s] primarily as a result of Chinese language vacationers can’t come,” the employees member mentioned.
Our reporter noticed a number of Taiwanese buyers who mentioned they take pleasure in shopping for family necessities from Japan and got here right here to buy earlier than the pandemic. This time, they got here to purchase rice cookers and mentioned they may come once more.
On the Hankyu Division Retailer in Osaka, many vacationers had been shopping for brand-name merchandise like baggage, garments, and watches. Sonny, a Mexican vacationer, instructed The Epoch Occasions that now is an effective time to transform {dollars} into yen. The identical brand-name merchandise he was shopping for in Japan are 5 to 6 occasions costlier at residence.
On the Apple retailer in Shinsaibashi, the reporter noticed a number of Vietnamese individuals shopping for iPhones and iPads. Nguyen Dinh Kyun, a Vietnamese scholar, instructed The Epoch Occasions that an iPhone in Japan is no less than 100,000 yen (about $673) cheaper than it’s in Vietnam.
Zero-COVID Nonetheless Impacts the Vacationer Commerce
On Oct. 31, at Osaka Bay Tower, two Chinese language vacationers spoke to The Epoch Occasions, saying China’s strict “Zero-COVID” coverage makes it exhausting to get approval to journey to Japan.
“You gained’t have the ability to come out within the identify of journey. It’s even exhausting to use for a passport. The scrutiny is stricter than earlier than,” they mentioned.
“Not many can come out within the identify of learning overseas both. Many graduates need to research overseas, [because] they will’t discover a job in China. Even when they discover a job, the wage may be very low. They’re all manufacturing facility employees, and the information they discovered in class isn’t getting used.”
Mr. Fujiyi, who manages a trip rental, instructed The Epoch Occasions that he’s beginning to see company, and reservations for the brand new 12 months are being made now. Late November is the time when Osaka’s leaves are at their most lovely, so reservations are made properly upfront, largely from Southeast Asian international locations. Nonetheless, there are additionally cancellations, significantly from vacationers who discover themselves in lockdown.
“In late September, a Chinese language household of three made an appointment to come back to Japan from Nov. 20 to 27, however canceled it on Oct. 28, saying that they had been beneath lockdown and didn’t know after they may get out,” he mentioned.
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