Japan logged a travel account surplus in fiscal 2014 for the first time in 55 years, according to a Finance Ministry report released Wednesday that highlighted the impact of increased Chinese tourism.
The ¥209.9 billion surplus — money Japanese spend traveling abroad minus money foreign travelers spent in Japan — is said to be benefiting local retailers struggling from shrinking domestic consumer spending. But some say more campaigning is necessary to lure Chinese visitors to rural areas, with their visits typically confined to Tokyo and Kyoto.
"I love shopping in Japan. I come here twice or three times a year to buy Japanese cosmetics and other big-name brand goods," said a 27-year-old Chinese tourist, who was visiting department store Matsuya Ginza in Tokyo on Tuesday.