World’s ‘friendliest country’ starts charging tourists more than locals | World | News

One of the world’s “friendliest countries” is working on a plan to deal with the rising number of tourists. In 2024, Japan set a new tourism record as visitors from across the globe flocked to the island nation.

According to last year’s Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards, Japan was named the Best Country for the second consecutive year. It also earned high marks for hospitality, ranking as the sixth friendliest country worldwide with an impressive score of 93.25. However, the influx of a large number of tourists in the country is causing a “new challenge” to the authorities. 

Hokuto Asano, first secretary at the Embassy of Japan in Washington, DC., told Fox News Digital: Overtourism is a new challenge for the Japanese community. So we need to pursue how to create a win-win relationship [between] Japanese local people and foreign tourists.

The report suggests that a new “two-tier” pricing structure may be implemented at restaurants, theme parks, and various attractions, where tourists would pay higher prices for services and experiences than Japanese residents.

Mr Asano said: “The price of the restaurant, sushi restaurant in Japan, even hotel — the price is also increasing. So Japanese people sometimes say [that] Japanese people cannot enjoy the domestic tourism.”

He added, “But there should be a difference in the taste or preference between Japan and Japanese people and international tourists. There should be a difference in the price and also product or service toward the international tourists.”

Mr Asano said the number of visitors last year ended up reaching 36 million and that Japan has a plan to nearly double the number of visitors in the next five years.

He added: “In 2030, we want [to reach] the goal of 60 million people. We need to share our manner[s] [with those who] visit tourist destinations.

“So we would like [them to] understand [about] bringing back his or her own trash.”