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TOKYO (CNN) – A surprising number of Japanese say that travel is no longer a priority for them.
A survey conducted last year by global news outlet Morning Consult found that 35% of Japanese respondents said they were unwilling to travel again, the highest number 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, (Japanese) people who traveled abroad at least once a year made up about 10% of the population,” says Nakamura.
According to a study Nakamura conducted in 2016, there are what he calls “passivists,” those who say they want to travel abroad but don’t, and “deniers” — people who show no interest in traveling abroad and don’t do it.
Together, these two groups make up about 70% of respondents in his pre-pandemic study, with “deniers” making up about 30% of them.
Happy at home
Despite Japan having the most powerful passport in the world, less than 20% of Japanese people have any passport at all, according to the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
For some of these “never travelers” domestic travel within Japan will suffice.
“Many Japanese people feel that traveling abroad is time-consuming even before they set foot in a foreign country, requiring a great deal of time, skill and planning,” says Nakamura.
Hiroo Ishida, 25, a Chiba Prefectural caregiver and motorcycle enthusiast with a penchant for Harley-Davidson motorcycles, says it resonates with him.
“I have a certain desire to go to the US, mainly because Western media in Japan show that this is the right place for motorcyclists, but I will most likely not go because of the inconvenience of going there to plan. Japan is rich in travel destinations that motorcyclists find attractive,” says Ishida.
His last trip abroad was a field trip to Guam in high school; Since then he has never felt the urge to go abroad, he adds.
Kotaro Toriumi is a Japanese man who intends to continue traveling abroad: he is pictured here at a Los Angeles Angels baseball game.
Kotaro Toriumi, a Japanese aviation and travel analyst, says the thought of complicated travel procedures abroad due to the pandemic and the risk of infection is preventing people from pursuing overseas travel.
He also claims that the pandemic has changed the “Japanese way of thinking”.
“People who used to travel … are now afraid to go abroad because of the risk of infection, but travel well domestically. I think they’re realizing more and more that there are many attractive tourist spots in Japan and people can have fun without going abroad,” says Toriumi.
The analyst notes that people who say they “never want to travel again” may simply not be ready to travel anytime soon until the pandemic is fully over.
Thanks to travel vouchers and other post-pandemic incentives, many Japanese are choosing to explore local destinations like Kyoto’s Kiyomizu-dera Temple.
Less money, more problems
Travel costs also play a role.
The yen is at its weakest in decades and many Japanese workers have not received a pay rise in 30 years.
Lower disposable income means young people are more likely to stay at home or explore nearby places.
“Compared to the older generations, they go abroad less often because they don’t have much money. Also, many young people find online entertainment or smartphone games more enjoyable than traveling abroad,” Toriumi said. “Many older people would like to travel abroad again after Covid has calmed down.”
Aki Fukuyama, 87, is a “semi-retired” finance executive at a hospitality conglomerate. He has had many golf trips abroad and would like to go there again, but cites health and age as the main reasons why he is unlikely to do another international trip.
“Up until about 15 or 20 years ago, I used to go abroad a lot,” he said. “It doesn’t help that most of my friends have passed away. I plan on traveling domestically, maybe somewhere close by if someone invites me.”
Yuma Kase says she enjoys exploring the world. She is pictured here visiting Paris.
conventions and conventionality
Nakamura’s studies show that positive attitudes overcome outside pressures not to go abroad, so people who have always loved to travel don’t let social conformity get in their way.
“People who have always been positive about international travel try to do so as soon as the opportunity arises,” says Nakamura. “This applies both before and after the pandemic. The ones we see going abroad now are those people… they can’t wait to go back (abroad) again.”
Yuma Kase, 25, is a Tokyo-based finance worker who says she loves visiting new countries and interacting with people from all backgrounds.
“Preparing to travel to a foreign country is part of the journey and part of the excitement, I think. Knowing that I have to practice what to say when I get there, or do some research on cultural differences, I look forward to that,” Kase says.
But their love of exploring isn’t genetic. Her mother hates traveling and likes to stick to a fixed daily routine. “The farthest thing my mom saw in 2022 was an outlet mall,” laughs Kase.
According to the latest data from the Japan National Tourism Organization, the number of Japanese outbound travelers fell by 86.2% in 2022, with around 2.7 million people, compared to 20 million in 2019.
“Those who used to only drive because it was cheap or who don’t particularly like to travel don’t travel anymore,” says Toriumi.
Above: The Shinjuku district of Tokyo at night. Photo via Adobe Stock.