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Out of pandemic slumber, Japan looks to entice more Muslim visitors
Seeking to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, Japan is now proactively catering to the significant Muslim population in Southeast Asia, including in Indonesia, to boost its tourism industry.
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In this undated file photo, a Japanese restaurant puts the “Muslim-friendly” sign so that Muslim tourists can dine in without worry. (JP/Rosa Panggabean)
L
ike many other countries emerging from the doldrums of the COVID-19 pandemic, Japan has reopened its borders to the delight of millions of tourists from around the world.
Since the country’s Oct. 19 reopening last year, international visitors have returned in droves to savor its popular washoku cuisine, experience unique cultural traditions and revel in the charm of its natural landscapes.
Over 3.8 million visitors arrived in Japan in 2022, and nearly 1.5 million more followed suit last month, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO).
But these figures paled in comparison to prepandemic levels, when the country posted all-time highs in foreign arrivals for seven straight years. In 2019 alone, Japan recorded a total of 31.88 million visitor arrivals.
In a bid to further bolster its tourism sector, Japan is now proactively catering to the significant Muslim population in Southeast Asia, especially from Indonesia.
Meinarti Fauzie, a media and sociocultural counselor at the Indonesian Embassy in Tokyo, said international travelers had flooded Japan since restrictions were lifted. Among the arrivals were Muslim tourists from Indonesia.
“There was a significant increase in Indonesian tourists coming to Japan. There is also an increasing number of places of worship in tourist spots and Muslim-friendly food,” she said at a recent reception for visiting journalists.
