Over 70% of Japan's Accommodations Face Staff Shortages Amid Tourism Boom

Tokyo (ANTARA) - The Japanese government disclosed in an annual tourism white paper on Friday that more than 70 per cent of accommodation facilities in Japan are facing a labour crisis amid a surge in tourist visits. The tourism sector is currently a primary engine of the Japanese economy. According to a government survey conducted between December and January involving 522 lodging facilities, 72.2 per cent reported a shortage of workers. Managers identified the significantly increased workload during peak holiday seasons as an urgent challenge that must be addressed. To respond to this crisis, operators are being encouraged to increase investment in automation technology, such as self-service check-in systems and food service robots. Strengthening technology-based services is believed to enhance customer comfort and operational revenue, thereby allowing business owners to provide better wages and welfare to their workers. Japan is currently enjoying a tourism boom from foreign visitors. This trend is driven by the weakening of the yen against other currencies, such as the US dollar, which makes travel to the Land of the Rising Sun significantly cheaper for foreign tourists. Despite turmoil in the Middle East impacting the global tourism industry, the number of foreign visitors to Japan surpassed 40 million in 2025 for the first time in history, creating a record level of tourist spending. Looking ahead, the Japanese government is targeting 60 million foreign tourist visits by 2030. The labour crisis is not unique to the tourism sector. A declining birth rate and a rapidly ageing population are structural problems across various economic sectors in Japan. However, the challenges are heavier in the service sector because the wages offered tend to be lower than in the manufacturing sector. This situation has led Japan, known for its strict immigration policies, to gradually open its doors to foreign workers.