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A recent government survey found that foreign visitors to Japan ranked the scarcity of public bins, especially in places like train stations, as the most frustrating thing about their trips to the country.
The Japan Tourism Agency reported that 21.9 per cent of over 4,000 tourists surveyed at five major airports listed this as their top complaint.
The survey was conducted between December and January at five major airports – New Chitose, Narita and Haneda near Tokyo, Kansai, and Fukuoka – as travellers prepared to depart Japan.
Although the number of such complaints was about eight percentage points lower than in the previous year, many visitors said they often had no choice but to carry their rubbish back to their accommodation.
Public litter bins were once common in the country, but many were reportedly removed in recent years due to safety concerns sparked by terror attacks like the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin gas attack and the 2004 Madrid train bombings.
Littering is strictly prohibited in Japan and can result in fines or even harsher punishments depending on the offence. Japanese people routinely carry bin bags and take their rubbish home with them if they are planning to eat outdoors, such as at a picnic or sporting event.
Japan welcomed a record 36 million tourists in 2024, according to figures released in January. The Japan National Tourism Organisation estimated that more than 36.8 million people visited the country for business or leisure in 2024, surpassing a previous high of 31.88 million in 2019.
According to the survey, reported by Kyodo News, other common complaints included communication barriers – reported by 15.2 per cent of visitors – mainly due to staff at restaurants and other venues not speaking English and overcrowding at tourist sites, noted by 13.1 per cent.
The recent surge in tourists to Japan has been attributed in part to a weaker yen, which has made the country more affordable for international visitors.
The soaring numbers, however, have sparked concerns about “overtourism” at popular destinations, posing challenges in managing visitor flow and preserving local environments.
In January, it was reported that the popular travel destination of Kyoto was significantly raising accommodation tax – a fixed fee paid to the government by non-residents which is collected by hotels and guesthouses – in an attempt to make tourism more sustainable.
In November last year, several Japanese cities were said to be increasing the “bathing tax” for overnight visitors to hot spring resorts.
Japan has also hiked the entry fees and restricted the number of visitors to tackle overcrowding on the iconic Mount Fuji.
The Japanese government has been urging foreign visitors to travel during off-peak times, explore lesser-known destinations, and adhere to local customs.
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