Foreign Travellers Hesitant To Visit Japan Over Radiation Concerns

[Mulboyne]

Nikkei: Foreigners Shying Away From Japan On Radiation Worries
Radiation concerns stemming from the nuclear crisis spawned by the March 11 disaster are a leading cause of foreigners avoiding Japan, a Boston Consulting Group Inc. survey shows. Asked why they are not making trips to Japan, with multiple responses allowed, 86% of respondents staying away cited radiation worries. And 49% said it is not prudent to vacation in a country where many locals are struggling. Asked about their sources of information on safety for tourists, just 14% said they trust the Japanese government. Around 90% of respondents described international institutions and scientific organizations as credible. The poll also asked people considering visits to Japan to say why, with 33% reporting that they want to support its reconstruction. Taken in late May, the Internet survey drew some 2,500 people in the U.S., China including Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea. Those avoiding visits to Japan constituted about 30% of the total. April saw foreign visitors plunge 62.5% on the year, missing the 300,000 mark for the first time in eight years. To promote tourism to Japan, it is important for the public and private sectors to disseminate information on local situations and risk levels in a forthcoming manner, says Hans-Paul Burkner, Boston Consulting Group's chief executive officer.

Related FG Thread: Government Wants 20 Million Foreign Tourists In 2020

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

This sort of finding makes me want to go "Oh, der." The cuntry is spewing high levels of radiation into the atmosphere, ground, sea and groundwater, for God's sake...who in their right mind would want to visit?
We've already got mutated rabbits...next comes the people....Yokoso Japan:Safety Cuntry
[YT]<iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/uLgcP9A2D3o" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>[/YT]

[Coligny]

This sort of finding makes me want to go "Oh, der." The cuntry is spewing high levels of radiation into the atmosphere, ground, sea and groundwater, for God's sake...who in their right mind would want to visit?
We've already got mutated rabbits...next comes the people....Yokoso Japan:Safety Cuntry

First question from me be... Julie after seeing this:

Does it taste different ?

[matsuki]

Yeah, the rest of the world doesn't subscribe to the whole gaman/shoganai attitude and visit the country with radiation concerns that we still cannot get legit info on...big suprise. The more that shit goes down the drain and the more I see Japanese using the TIJ excuse to refuse doing things another way, I think this country is going down the shitter in record time.

[Greji]

Nikkei: Foreigners Shying Away From Japan On Radiation Worries

Hey, this could be a major problem. If we don't have any gaijins, what's Debito going to write about?

[Doctor Stop]

But, Japan has four seasons.

[matsuki]

But, Japan has four seasons.

Japan will never walk alone....

[LesTalk]

Was supposed to visit Toyama as part of a sister city tour program this summer, but a bunch of folks got scared about radiation and the trip was cancelled. Toyama canceled their trip here a couple years back over swine flu fears, so I guess this is payback.

I've talked to a few folks that have canceled business trips to Japan over the last few months for fear of radiation. My favorite was the woman from Germany who canceled her entire Asia tour because she was scared of getting radiation poisoning in Hong Kong.

[Russell]

Was supposed to visit Toyama as part of a sister city tour program this summer, but a bunch of folks got scared about radiation and the trip was cancelled. Toyama canceled their trip here a couple years back over swine flu fears, so I guess this is payback.

I've talked to a few folks that have canceled business trips to Japan over the last few months for fear of radiation. My favorite was the woman from Germany who canceled her entire Asia tour because she was scared of getting radiation poisoning in Hong Kong.

Actually, the background radiation in Hong-Kong is higher than in Tokyo. If that isn't an incentive to vacation in Japan, what is?

[Coligny]

Actually, the background radiation in Hong-Kong is higher than in Tokyo. If that isn't an incentive to vacation in Japan, what is?

Can we stop cherry picking the stat we like... I think the increased level of radioactivity in sewer sludge all around the north of the country (source: japanese TV, any channel) is a bit of a tell tale that something poopy-er than what should be to feel safe is going on.

And the first one saying with a straight face that it don't matter because you just have to avoid eating sewer sludge will have to star as a gimp in my next SM special slave backside powertool insertion movie...

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

Can we stop cherry picking the stat we like... I think the increased level of radioactivity in sewer sludge all around the north of the country (source: japanese TV, any channel) is a bit of a tell tale that something poopy-er than what should be to feel safe is going on.

And the first one saying with a straight face that it don't matter because you just have to avoid eating sewer sludge will have to star as a gimp in my next SM special slave backside powertool insertion movie...

It doesn't matter...all you need to do is avoid eating sewer sludge...

[cujojpn]

Only reason I am hesitant to visit Japan again is because the ridiculous air fare. $2100 for ANA and $2400 for JAL.

Are you kidding me?

[Greji]

Only reason I am hesitant to visit Japan again is because the ridiculous air fare. $2100 for ANA and $2400 for JAL.

Are you kidding me?

ANA and JAL can be pricey. The are bargains around, but you have to search for them. Also, the time of the season makes a big difference in the price.

[matsuki]

Only reason I am hesitant to visit Japan again is because the ridiculous air fare. $2100 for ANA and $2400 for JAL.

Are you kidding me?

THIS

Not sure why but airfare to/from Japan seems insanely expensive right now. (yes, more than just the seasonal rate increases) My last flight to LA was also near empty...I'm surprised they didn't cancel it. (Although on the way back, it was completely full)

[Kuang_Grade]

Just poked around a bit and from the East coast USA its running about 1800+ to NRT for July and 1700 or so for Aug ...not helping are the relatively recent merger between United/Continental which has likely narrowed down the US to Japan competition a bit. It also maybe a reflection that demand is down so hard, the airlines may have concluded that there isn't even a real reason to compete on price for tourism passengers because it won't make a difference.

For me, the exchange rate between the US and Japan is too painful to even contempt a trip in the near term.....Whenever it crawls over 90 or so to a dollar, I might start thinking about it again.

[Jack]

The whole Jack family (5 persons) is coming to Japan this weekend to spend summer with the outlaws.

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

The whole Jack family (5 persons) is coming to Japan this weekend to spend summer with the outlaws.

Good for you! I give you credit for sticking by the country...and your word!

[cujojpn]

For me, the exchange rate between the US and Japan is too painful to even contempt a trip in the near term.....Whenever it crawls over 90 or so to a dollar, I might start thinking about it again.

That was a factor for me, but I saw this trend:
http://goo.gl/wJO0h And now it has seemed to stagnant around 80.

And decided that we will probably never see those rates again.

[matsuki]

That was a factor for me, but I saw this trend:
http://goo.gl/wJO0h And now it has seemed to stagnant around 80.

And decided that we will probably never see those rates again.

Not anytime soon anyways...sucks too cause I just won a settlement in the US...not gonna be fun converting dollar to yen

[Mike Oxlong]

It doesn't matter...all you need to do is avoid eating sewer sludge...

Getting harder to do nowadays...

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

Getting harder to do nowadays...

Now I understand.
Soylent Green wasn't people, it was "poople." (But probably really U.S. Beef)