Editor’s note: (Sign up for Unlocking the World, CNN Travel’s weekly newsletter. Get news about unlocking destinations, inspiration for next adventures, plus the latest in aviation, food and drink, where to stay and other travel developments.)
Tokyo (CNN) A surprisingly large number of Japanese people say that travel is no longer a priority for them.
A poll last year by global intelligence company Morning Consult showed that 35% of Japanese respondents said they were unwilling to travel again, the highest of any country.
Tetsu Nakamura, a professor at Tamagawa University and a specialist in tourism behavior and psychology, says the results are not at all surprising.
“In 2019, even before the pandemic, people (Japanese) who traveled abroad at least once a year accounted for about 10% of the population,” says Nakamura.
According to a study Nakamura did in 2016, there are what he calls “passivists,” those who say they want to travel abroad but won’t, and “deniers”—people who show no interest in traveling abroad. and they won’t.
Together, these two groups make up about 70% of respondents in his pre-pandemic study, with “deniers” making up roughly 30% of them.
Happy home
Despite Japan having the most powerful passport in the world, less than 20% of Japanese people actually have passports in the first place, according to Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs..
For some of these “never travelers”, domestic travel within Japan is sufficient.
“Many Japanese people think that traveling overseas takes time even before they set foot on foreign soil, that it takes a lot of time, skill and planning,” says Nakamura.
Hiroo Ishida, 25, a caregiver from Chiba Prefecture and motorcycle enthusiast with a love for Harley Davidson bikes, says this resonates with him.
“I have a desire to go to the US, mainly because in the western media shown in Japan, this is the place to go for bikers, but I probably won’t go because only planning is a concern. Japan is abundant with destinations .that motorcyclists find attractive,” says Ishida.
His last trip abroad was a trip to Guam in high school; He has never felt the urge to go abroad since then, he adds.
Kotaro Toriumi is a Japanese person who intends to continue traveling overseas: he is pictured here at a Los Angeles Angels baseball game.
Kotaro Toriumi, a Japanese aviation and travel analyst, says the thought of complicated overseas travel procedures due to the pandemic and the risk of infection deters people from seeking overseas travel.
He further 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 are fine with traveling domestically. I think they are increasingly realizing that there are many attractive tourist spots within Japan and people can have fun without going abroad,” says Toriumi.
The analyst notes that people who say they “don’t want to travel anymore” may simply be reluctant to travel soon until the pandemic is completely over.
Thanks to travel vouchers and other post-pandemic incentives, many Japanese are choosing to explore local destinations like Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto.
Less money, more problems
The cost of travel is also a consideration.
The yen is at its weakest level in decades, and many Japanese workers haven’t had a raise in 30 years.
Less disposable income means 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 as they don’t have much money. In addition, many young people find online entertainment or smartphone games more enjoyable than traveling abroad,” Toriumi explained. “Many older people would like to travel abroad again once Covid subsides.”
Aki Fukuyama, 87, is a “semi-retired” financial executive of a hospitality conglomerate. He has had many golf trips overseas and wants to go again, but cites his health and age as the main reasons why he is unlikely to take another international trip.
“I used to go (abroad) often until about 15 or 20 years ago,” he said. “It doesn’t help that most of my friends are dead. I plan to travel within the country, maybe somewhere nearby if someone invites me.”
Yuma Kase says she likes to explore the world. She is pictured here on a visit to Paris.
Conventions and conventionality
Nakamura’s studies show that positive attitudes win out over external pressure to refrain from traveling abroad, so people who have always enjoyed traveling would not let social conformity get in the way.
“People who have always had positive views about overseas travel try to do it as soon as they can,” says Nakamura. “That’s true both before and after the pandemic. The ones we see now going abroad are those people…they can’t wait to get back (abroad).”
Yuma Kase, 25, is a financial worker based in Tokyo who says she enjoys visiting new places and interacting with people from different backgrounds.
“Preparing to go to a foreign country is part of the journey and the excitement, I feel. Knowing that I have to practice what to say when I get there or do some research about cultural differences is something I look forward to,” says Kase. . .
But her love of exploring isn’t genetic. Her mother hates to travel and likes to stick to a fixed daily routine. “The furthest my mom has been in 2022 was a mall,” laughs Kase.
According to the latest data from the Japan National Tourism Organization, the number of Japanese overseas travelers fell by 86.2% in 2022, to around 2.7 million people compared to 20 million in 2019.
“Those who used to go just because it was cheap or don’t particularly like to travel … they’re not traveling now,” Toriumi says.
Top: Tokyo’s Shinjuku district at night. Photo via Adobe Stock.
