去年日本人減少到中國観光

Recently the Mainichi News on-line reported the following:

中国:日本人観光客３５％減…尖閣・大気汚染が影響　昨年

毎日新聞　2014年02月16日　19時11分（最終更新　02月16日　20時52分）

　【上海・隅俊之】昨年、中国を訪れた日本人観光客が前年比３５％減の５１万人だったことが、中国国家旅行局の統計で明らかになった。沖縄県・尖閣諸島の問題をめぐる日中関係の悪化や中国国内の大気汚染の深刻化などが影響したとみられる。ただ、日本人が中国旅行を敬遠するのとは対照的に、日本を観光などで訪れる中国人の数は急速に回復しており、日中間の温度差が際立つ形になっている。

　統計によると、ビジネスなども含めた日本人の中国入国者も、前年比１８％減の２８７万人となった。世界各国からの中国入国者は同３％減の２６２９万人だった。日本人の中国入国者は昨年１０月からは増加に転じたが、１０月で前年同月比８％増にとどまるなど回復基調にのっていない。中国への日本人観光客は２００６年に１８３万人に達したが、１１年には１００万人を切るなど減少が続いている。

　一方、日本政府観光局によると、観光やビジネスなどで日本を訪れた中国人は１３１万人で前年比７．８％減。関係悪化の影響を受けたが過去３番目に多かった。ほとぼりが冷めたとみられる昨年９月からは急速に回復。１０月は前年同月比７４％増の１２万人、観光目的に限ると同２１７％増の６万６８１４人（暫定値）となった。

　目立つのは自由な観光ができる富裕層が中心の個人観光だ。中国で日本への査証（ビザ）発給件数が最も多い上海の日本総領事館によると、昨年の個人観光ビザの発給は１０万６１５７件で前年比５６．６％増。１２月は前年同月比２５７．６％増となるなど、昨年４月以降、月別で過去最高が続いている。上海市内の旅行会社は「個人観光は両国関係にほとんど影響されず、食や文化、温泉など日本旅行のニーズは依然として高い」と分析している。

(試譯文)

It became clear from the statistics of the China State Travel Office that last year the number of Japanese tourists visiting China was 510,000, being a 35% decrease compared with two years ago. It was concluded that the factors were the aggravation of both the Sino-Japanese relation and the air pollution in China. However, in contrast with the Japanese who were keeping traveling in China at arm's length, the number of Chinese who visited Japan for sightseeing etc. had recovered quickly, forming a sharp contrast on the difference in temperature between Japan and China.

According to the statistics the Japanese visiting China, including those for business etc., was 2,870,000 people, being an 18% decrease compared with two years ago. World wide from all countries the number of people who visited China was 26,290,000, being a 3% decrease. Although the number of Japanese who visited China started to increase since October last year, there was no sign of a recovery trend of two years ago which was an 8% increase, using the same month of October for comparison. Although the number of Japanese tourists visiting China amounted to 1,830,000 in 2006, there was a reduction of 1 million people in 2011 as a decrease was continuing.

On the other hand, according to the Japanese government tourist board, 1,310,000 Chinese had visited Japan for sightseeing and business etc., and it was a 7.8% decrease compared with two years ago. Although it had been subjected to the effect of relation aggravation, it was still the third highest on record. A quick recovery was seen when the public excitement cooled down since September last year. For October, compared with the corresponding month of two years ago, it was 120,000 people, being an increase of 74%. If limited to those for sightseeing purpose only, it became 66,814 people (estimate), being an increase of 217%.

What was conspicuous was the private sighting: it centered on the wealthy who could afford individual tours. According to the Japanese Consulate General in Shanghai which had the highest number of visa issued in China for visiting Japan, the number of individual tourist visas issued last year was 106,157, which was an increase of 56.6% compared with two years ago. For December, compared with the corresponding month two years ago, it was an increase of 257.6%. Starting from April last year the figures, on a monthly base, continued to stay at the peak. A tour company in Shanghai analyzed that "individual sightseeing is hardly affected by the relation of the two countries, the demand on traveling in Japan for food, culture and hot springs are still great".

It is nice to know that tourism between China and Japan was not much affected by the tense Sino-Japanese relation.