Visitor arrivals to Japan are at an all-time high as weak currency draws crowds Tourism

The Asian country welcomed a record 36.8 million visitors by 2024, tourism officials said.

Japan welcomed a record number of tourists in 2024, as the country's weak currency fueled tourism growth, according to official figures.

More than 36.8 million people visited the Asian country for business or leisure last year, estimates from the Japan National Tourism Organization showed on Wednesday.

These numbers far surpass 2019's record of nearly 32 million visitors and compare to 25.07 million visitors in 2023.

Spending by foreign tourists rose to 8.14 trillion yen ($51.78bn), up 53 percent from last year.

The growth in arrivals has been fueled, in part, by the depreciation of the yen, which at one point last year was trading at a 40-year low against the US dollar.

While the influx of tourists has boosted Japan's economy after decades of stagnation, the surge in arrivals has also caused a backlash for locals.

Earlier this week, the city government of Kyoto, one of Japan's most popular tourist destinations, announced it would raise accommodation taxes by up to 10,000 yen ($63) per night as part of efforts to tackle over-tourism.

Kyoto Mayor Koji Matsui said the tax increase will be used to improve infrastructure such as roads and bridges so that residents can “clearly feel” that welcoming tourists improves their lives.

The move comes after officials in the historic capital last year barred tourists from the streets of the Gion district following reports of tourists abusing geisha.

Other Japanese municipalities have also proposed ways to deal with complaints about poor infrastructure and rude tourists.

In June, the mayor of Himeji, Hideyasu Kiyomoto, caused a stir when he said he would consider charging foreigners six times more than locals to enter the city's UNESCO-listed palace.

Despite the increase in arrivals, Japan still receives far fewer tourists per capita than major tourist destinations such as France, Italy and Spain.

Under the government's tourism plan, officials hope to attract 60 million tourists a year by 2030.