News
Traveloka, a major OTA in Asia, enables a user to exchange Traveloka points to ‘Ponta points,’ a Japan’s major point program
Traveloka will start enabling a user to exchange Traveloka points to ‘Ponta points,’ a Japan’s major point program. The exchange service is available in about 320,000 Ponta-affiliated shops
ANA extends NDC-based air ticketing on Trip.com to 11 Asian markets in addition to Japan
ANA extended NDC-based air ticketing on Trip.com to 12 Asian markets, where a user can change and refund ANA tickets in the same manner as the ANA official website.
JTB and Hitachi work together for biometric authentication-based digital ticket on smartphone
JTB and Hitachi have reached an agreement to work together for tourism digital transformation. The first trial will begin in Shodoshima by testing an biometric authentication-based tour digital ticket.
Mastercard Economics Institute analyzes weak yen gives larger influence to Asian travelers to Japan
‘Travel Trends 2025,’ the latest report on travel economic trend by Mastercard Economics Institute (MEI), finds that Asian countries including Japan become popular as next tourist destinations in this summer.
All-inclusive tours to Miyakojima, Okinawa flying with HondaJet is now on sale targeting luxury international travelers
Japanticket, a e-ticket service provider for international tourists, sells high-value tour in partnership with Honda and Rosewood Miyakojima, targeting luxury international visitors to Japan.
Japanese private railway Odakyu extends the credit card touch payment system to improve convenience for international visitors
Odakyu Group, a Japanese private railway group, will extend the credit card touch payment system to the group transportation to improve passenger experiences for international visitors to Japan.
ANA renews the business class for international mid-sized aircraft for the first time in a decade, reestablishing the private space
ANA will introduce new business class seat ‘THE Room FX’ on Boing 787-9 for long-range international flights after 2026 for the first time in a decade. The space is reconfigured with thinner privacy door and walls.
A new service to mediate professional video creators for international tourists traveling in Japan is launched
SPORTS JAM launched a new service to mediate professional video creators for international tourists to Japan. A user can be matched with a creator on the platform by choosing shooting date, location and so on.
Japanese outbound travelers were up 14% year on year to 1.08 million in May 2025, but down 25% over 2019
The number of Japanese outbound travelers in May 2025 was up 14.3% year on year to 1,076,800. Compared to April 2019 before COVID-19, it was still down 25.1%.
International arrivals in Japan were up 20% to 3.7 million in May 2025, marking record-high for May
The number of international arrivals in Japan in May 2025 was up 21.5% year on year to record-high 3,693,300 for May. Visitors from India were up 47.9% to record-high 43,000 on a single month basis.
HIS forms partnership with Uber Japan to issue taxi voucher for group travel or corporate travel
HIS formed partnership with Uber Japan to launch a new service to issue taxi voucher for group travel or corporate travel. HIS also considers integration of the service into its corporate travel management system
Foreign visitors to Osaka EXPO like visiting GUNDAM NEXT FUTURE PAVILION in the venue and Nara Park outside of the venue
NAVITIME JAPAN, a Japanese navigation app provider, revealed where foreign visitors to Osaka Kansai EXPO visited in the venue and outside of the venue.
The Japanese government aims to triple food consumption in Japan by inbound travelers to 4.5 trillion yen a year by 2030
The Japanese government recently decided to set a goal to increase consumption on foods by foreign visitors to Japan by about three times to 4.5 trillion yen a year by 2030.
Google launches a certification program in Japanese for generative AI, giving basic lessons of prompting
Google has launched its original certification program in Japanese for generative AI ‘Google Prompting Essentials' and ‘Local Growth Package’ for governments’ staff.
Local consumption in Japan by luxury inbound travelers potentially spending 1 million yen or more increased by 50% in 2023 compared to 2019
Local consumption by luxury inbound travelers to Japan amounted to 1 trillion yen in 2023, about 50.6% more than 2019. The number of high-valued inbound travelers was up 83.2% to about 590,000
JTB launches a new website for global luxury travelers, using blockchain technology for new sales and payment schemes
JTB and LEAPS, a blockchain service provider, will launch ‘anyBOUND,’ a new travel website for global luxury travelers to realize unprecedented travel proposals and purchase and payment experiences using the blockchain technology.
Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan reveals survey results of ‘Fuji Tram,’ a new transport system for Mt.Fuji to control 1,200 visitors an hour
Yamanashi Prefecture revealed survey results of ‘Fuji Tram’ a new transport system for Mt.Fuji. The prefecture has judged that the magnetic marker guidance system is superior to other candidates.
Airbnb.org launches a disaster preparedness program in Japan to provide its listings as shelters within 24 hours after a natural disaster happens
Airbnb.org has launched a disaster preparedness program in Japan to provide its listings as shelters in all of 47 prefectures within 24 hours after a large-scale disaster happens, partnering Japanese NGOs
A clinic search service for foreign visitors to Japan is launched in linkage with Google Map
Ai, a pharmacy operator in Tokyo, has launched a multi-language clinic search service ‘MEDSEEK’ for foreign visitors to Japan, linking data for 2223 clinics nationwide with Google Map.
Global luggage storage service provider Bounce partners JOYSOUND, Japan’s leading karaoke shops, to boost empty-handed travel
Bounce, global luggage storage service provider, ties up with JOYSOUND,, Japan’s leading karaoke shops, to boost empty-handed travel. A user can find and book the nearest luggage storage place on the app at 400 yen a day.