Japanese travel abroad remains largely sluggish across the board, but one country is showing signs of becoming a tourist hotspot in the age of the depreciated yen: Turkey.
In January this year, the number of departures from Japan to Turkey was about 6,000, 106 percent of the figure for the same month in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, according to data from JTB Tourism Research and Consulting Co.
In February, the figure reached about 8,000, around 110 percent of the number in February 2019.
In contrast to the yen’s downward movement against major currencies, the Japanese currency continues to appreciate against the Turkish lira. It is now at its lowest level against the yen in 10 years.
This trend has made Turkey one of the few destinations where Japanese visitors can enjoy a “bargain” feeling.
Overall, about 1.22 million Japanese departed for destinations abroad in March, about 63 percent of the figure for the same month in 2019,…