TOKYO: Japan’s ports are witnessing a sharp spike in the number of visits by foreign cruise ships. The government plans to accelerate the development of ports around the country to attract large cruise ships, as part of the recently passed economic stimulus package. Cruise ships bring large numbers of foreign shoppers and are thus important to the local economies of port cities. This year, overseas cruise ships are expected to dock at Japan’s top 20 ports more than 1,600 times, a 40 percent rise from last year.
More than 350,000 foreign tourists arrived at just one port in just 5 month. A number of foreign cruise ships connect China and other Asian countries to the Kyushu region. This year, cruise lines are expected to make 352 port calls at Hakata Port in Fukuoka, which serves as a gateway to the region. If the figure is reached, it will be a 36 percent increase from last year. More than 350,000 foreign tourists entered Japan at Hakata Port from January to May this year, according to the latest statistics of the Kyushu District Transport Bureau. Reasonable travel fees are a major reason for the port’s popularity among foreign tourists. A four-night, five-day tour that links Shanghai to South Korea’s Jeju Island and Hakata costs about 50,000 yen ($500 U.S.) per person, making it popular with Chinese tourists.
Nagasaki is expected to receive 195 port calls this year. In Okinawa, also part of the Kyushu region, 214 port calls were expected at Naha and 103 at Ishigaki. The three figures represent increases of 23 percent to 86 percent over last year. Hirara Port on the prefecture’s Miyakojima island is expected to receive 95 visits from foreign cruise ships this year, or 7.3 times more than last year’s 13 visits. The port’s proximity to Taiwan makes it popular with tourists from the island.
