The pandemic has reduced the number of visitors to the country.
Japan’s tourism sector, from hotels and hot springs to high-speed trains and souvenirs, is ready to welcome Chinese visitors after a three-year absence because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“We are still waiting for the day when Chinese tourists will return,” a publicity officer from the Japan Travel Agents Association told Yicai Global.
JATA’s 1,100 members are looking forward to “especially group tours of China, which will be a kind of jab in the arm to rebuild the Japanese tourism industry.”
The pandemic has reduced the number of visitors to the country.
In 2019, Japan welcomed 16.8 million tourists from China, nearly 53 percent of all foreign visitors to the country.
But that number fell to 4.1 million in 2020 and just 246,000 in 2021.
Although Japan issues Chinese tourist visas, entry is still more difficult than in pre-pandemic times, as visitors from China must meet new requirements.
