Japan is set to open its doors in June, but some locals aren’t happy about it

Japan, one of the most popular destinations in Asia, remains closed as countries across Asia reopen to international travelers.

That may change soon. Japan will ease border controls in June, announced Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at a news conference in London.

Some people in Japan say they are fine with keeping the measures in place despite the easing of border restrictions.

According to the Japan Tourism Agency, domestic tourism in the country reached $167 billion in 2019.

Dai Miyamoto, the founder, said that many Japanese people don't want to go overseas and prefer to travel inside the country.

Izumi Mikami, senior executive director at Japan Space Systems, visited Kyushu and Okinawa Island before the Pandemic. He said he felt safer with fewer tourists around.

Some people are taking the chance to be outside after a long day at work.

The prefecture that hosted the 1998 Winter Olympic Games was crowded with locals, according to Shogo Morishige, a university student.

Everyone like us had not traveled in a while. Morishige said that it was almost as if Covid-19 wasn't really here.

Others went to new places.

After moving to Yamagata prefecture, I started going to places I would not normally go, such as ski resorts and hot springs.

According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, the number of international travelers to Japan fell from nearly 32 million in 2019.

Some tour companies changed their tours to conform to local interests.

Miyamoto said that Japanese travelers are opting for outdoor experiences that they can discover by foot. So Japan Localized collaborated with local tour companies Mai Mai Kyoto and Mai Mai Tokyo to provide walking tours in Japanese.

Lee Xian Jie, chief developer at tour company Craft Tabby, said that people are spending time at camping sites and onsen in Japan.

People are going outdoors a lot more and campsites have become very popular.

The elderly are scared of Covid and do not go out much, so luxury onsens are doing well, but traditional onsens are suffering.

Craft Tabby used to operate walking and cycling tours in Kyoto, but transitioned online when the Pandemic hit. Online tours have dropped to almost zero as countries reopen their borders.

The appetites of tourists are changing and people are looking for activities in rural areas.

Ryujinmura is a village south of Kyoto that Lee is planning to operate tours in once tourists return.

We need to think of tours and activities up here where people can explore new things.

According to the Japan Tourism Agency, Japan welcomed nearly 32 million international visitors in 2019.

The city of Kyoto struggled with over-tourism due to the rapid increase in tourists.

Miyamoto said that residents in Kyoto are now saying that civility is back after foreign tourists spoke loudly and were disrespectful to locals.

Lee said that a lot of people who were upset about over-tourism in Kyoto are now saying how Kyoto was 20 years ago.

That may be coming to an end.

The Prime Minister's announcement may not be good news for some people.

According to The New York Times, more than 65% of respondents in a recent survey said they agreed with the border measures or thought they should be strengthened.

According to local reports, international travelers may need multiple Covid-19 tests and a packaged tour booking to enter, though they have yet to receive word on this. This may not be enough for some residents.

Shintaro Okuno, partner and chairman of Bain &, said that it was not surprising for the government to prioritize other industries.

Women wearing kimonos tie “omikuji” fortune strips outside the Yasaka Shrine during Golden Week holidays in Kyoto, Japan, on Tuesday, May, 3, 2022.

Ichikawa said that the recent decision is likely to be unpopular with Japan's elderly citizens. Japan has the largest percentage of elderly people in the world at 1 in 3.

Ichikawa said that the elderly tend to be more prejudiced than younger people.

Japanese were wary of people from other parts of Japan visiting their hometowns during the Pandemic.

There were signs at public parks and tourist attractions that said no cars from outside Wakayama.

People living in cities may feel differently.

Mikami said that Japan is too strict and conservative in controlling Covid-19.

Miyako Komai is a teacher who lives in Tokyo.

She said that Japan needs to invite more foreign people. We need to live a normal life.