The number of tourists visiting Japan has already recovered to the pre-COVID-19 level. Along with the increase in the number of tourists visiting Japan, the number of foreigners who want to "move to Japan" is also increasing. Even so, there are probably many people who do not know what kind of country Japan actually is.

In this article, we will explain how the world sees Japan, and introduce the image non-Japanese have of Japan and the wonderful things about Japan.

■ What is Japan as seen by the world?

First, an overview of Japan's location, climate, and natural environment as seen from a global perspective is presented.

Japan's Position in the World

Japan is an island nation located east of the Eurasian continent, approximately between 120° and 150° east longitude and 20° and 45° north latitude. Countries at the same longitude as Japan include Russia, Indonesia, and Australia. Korea, China, India, Iraq, and the United States are located at the same latitude as Japan.

Japan's land area is approximately 378,000 square kilometers, ranking it 60th in the world, but its ocean area is 4.47 million square kilometers, making it the sixth largest oceanic area in the world.

Japan is one of the world's leading maritime powers.

Japan's Climate from the World's Perspective

Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu in Japan mainly belong to the temperate zone and are characterized by clear seasonal changes. Hokkaido belongs to the subarctic (cold zone) and is cool, with severe winters, low precipitation, and no rainy season.

The Sea of Japan side is characterized by heavy snowfall in winter. The Pacific Ocean side has many sunny days, but it rains a lot in summer. The inland area is characterized by little rain throughout the year and a large temperature difference between summer and winter.

Seto Inland Sea is warm throughout the year, with little precipitation. Nansei Islands receive heavy rainfall throughout the year, especially in autumn due to the passage of typhoons. Winters are mild and summer temperatures are not much different from those in Honshu.

Japan's Natural Environment from the World's Perspective

Nearly 70% of the Japanese archipelago is forested, and the varied mountains, rivers, and oceans are characterized by abundant nature. Hokkaido still retains its pristine nature, with vast wetlands and other landscapes not found in Honshu.

Five sites are registered as World Natural Heritage sites: Shirakami Mountains, Yakushima, Shiretoko, Ogasawara Islands, and Amami Oshima, Tokunoshima, Northern Okinawa Island and Iriomote Island.

Although Japan is a small island nation, its diverse nature is a major attraction due to its large variations in topography and climate.

■ Japan's Ranking in the World

The results of ranking surveys are helpful in understanding Japan from a global perspective. Here we introduce Japan's ranking in the "World's Best Country Ranking" and "Tourism Attractiveness Ranking.

World's Best Countries Ranking

According to the "World's Best Country Rankings 2022" published by U.S. News & World magazine, Japan was ranked 6th. The ranking is as follows.

1st Switzerland

2nd Germany

3rd Canada

4th USA

5th Sweden

6th Japan

7th Australia

8th United Kingdom

9th France

10th Denmark

In 2021, Japan's ranking was 2nd, and in 2022 it dropped a place. The reason for Japan's drop in ranking is due to concerns about its declining birthrate and aging population, as well as diplomatic concerns such as the North Korean problem. On the other hand, Japan is highly regarded for its world-class production of automobiles, electronics, and steel, as well as for its great cultural influence, including traditional arts, food culture, and martial arts.

Authority : Methodology: How the 2022 Best Countries Were Ranked

Sightseeing Attractiveness Ranking

Japan was ranked first in the World Economic Forum's "Tourism Attractiveness Ranking 2021" for the first time. The top 10 are as follows.

1st Japan

2nd U.S.A.

3rd Spain

4th France

5th Germany

6th Switzerland

7th Australia

8th Great Britain

9th Singapore

10th Italy

Japan was ranked first because of its excellent transportation infrastructure, including the number of transportation systems, the accuracy of rail service, and the price of air service. It was also highly rated for its low homicide rate, mobile device penetration, and number of large stadiums.

The challenge is that the country is lagging behind in digitization and DX, and it will be important to promote the digitization and DX of the tourism industry if it is to retain its No. 1 position.

Authority : Travel & Tourism Development Index 2021 overall rankings

■ Image of Japan held by foreigners

According to the "Image of Japan in Each Country" survey conducted by the Prime Minister's Office, many foreigners have a good image of Japan, such as "a country with advanced science and technology" and "a country with rich traditions and culture. Here we introduce the image of Japan held by foreigners, item by item.

Authority : Prime Minister's Office, "Image of Japan in Each Country"

Nature

Japan's diverse nature is a major attraction, and it seems that foreigners are also fascinated by Japan's beautiful nature. Foreign travel websites introduce the bamboo forests of Arashiyama in Kyoto, the Jigokudani Yaen-koen, famous for its Japanese monkeys bathing in hot springs, and the state-run Hitachi-Kaihin Park as places with spectacular scenery.

Fuji is also very popular, and foreigners seem to find it as sacred and beautiful as the Japanese do. Fuji, and during the cherry blossom season, many foreign tourists visit Niikurayama Sengen Park in Yamanashi, which is popular for its panoramic view of Mt.

History & Traditional Culture

Japanese history and traditional culture are also of high interest to foreigners. Shrines and temples that are popular among foreigners are Koyasan and Zenrinji Eikando, with many people saying they can enjoy the solemn atmosphere. Services that allow visitors to experience traditional Japanese culture, such as kimono dressing, tea ceremony, and calligraphy, are also popular among foreigners visiting Japan.

Food culture

Japanese food is growing in popularity worldwide, with ramen, sushi/sashimi, and tempura being particularly popular. Okonomiyaki and curry rice are also popular.

Many people say the great things about Japanese food are that the ingredients are fresh, the serving style is beautiful, and the food is low in calories and healthy, giving foreigners a positive image of Japanese food.

pop culture

In terms of pop culture, Japanese anime is very popular overseas, and foreigners who answer that their image of Japan is anime appreciate the high quality of Japanese anime, and the wide variety of genres is also a reason for its popularity.

Many foreigners say that they became interested in Japan because of anime, manga, and video games, and anime has contributed greatly to improving the image of Japan.

In particular, the works of Studio Ghibli are highly rated, and many foreigners say they became interested in Japanese animation because of Ghibli's works. Manga is very popular in France, and the "Japan Expo" is held in Paris every year.

Japanese people

According to the "Image of Japan in Each Country" survey conducted by the Prime Minister's Office, almost all countries highly evaluate "Japanese people are kind and polite. Many countries responded that the Japanese people were kind after their visit to Japan, indicating that in many cases, people have a positive image of Japan through their experiences in Japan.

What do you think are the outstanding attractions of Japan and the Japanese people? the top answer in Europe, North America, and Asia was "politeness.

However, some foreigners feel that the politeness of Japanese people makes them distant and difficult to communicate with. This depends on the individual.

Japanese product

According to the Japan Brand Survey 2019 conducted by Video Research, Inc. 82.3% of foreigners responded that "Japanese products are excellent," exceeding 80% of all respondents. In ASEAN countries in particular, the percentage exceeds 90%, indicating that Japanese products enjoy an overwhelming sense of trust.

The top image of Japanese products is "high-tech," followed by "high-performance" and "reliable. In East Asia, the impression of Japanese products is slightly different from that of other countries: No. 1 is "seems carefully made," No. 2 is "delicate/fine-tuned," and No. 3 is "reliable.

Public order

Foreigners consider Japan to be a safe country. In Japan, there is no problem for a woman to walk alone on the street at night, but it is dangerous in other countries. Also, in Japan, if you drop your wallet, it will be returned to you.

There are many vending machines in Japan, but there are few vending machines abroad for security reasons. Japan's high level of security is well known overseas, and foreigners who visit Japan are surprised at how safe and secure the country is. It is good for Japan to be perceived as a safe and secure country by foreigners.

Sport

Foreigners seem to be interested in traditional Japanese sports such as sumo and martial arts. On the other hand, "snow sports" topped the list of sports tourism that foreigners would like to experience in Japan. Japanese ski resorts are popular among foreigners for their high-quality powder snow.

Soccer is a popular sport worldwide, and Japan's national team became very popular in Qatar after winning the World Cup in Qatar against Germany.

Economic strength

Japan seems to be perceived as a "country with strong economic and technological power," "economically advanced country," "country of economic power and advanced technology," and "advanced technological superpower.

In addition, many foreigners believe that Japan will continue to grow economically in the future.

■ Please come to Japan with its many charms!

Japan seems to be highly regarded abroad for its economic strength, technological advances, beautiful natural scenery, and rich cultural heritage. In particular, Japan's cutting-edge technology, thorough quality control, courteous and hospitable people, and safe and clean environment are frequently emphasized. In addition, the harmony of tradition and modernity and the unique charm of Japanese culture attract many people.

At the same time, however, challenges such as a declining and aging population and the risk of natural disasters have been pointed out.

If you are interested in Japan but have never been there, why not consider a trip to Japan? A wonderful experience awaits you!