TOKYO, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Foreign tourists visiting Japan have cited the shortage of public trash bins as a main challenge they faced during their trips, a government survey showed Monday.
The Japan Tourism Agency conducted an online questionnaire in January targeting over 4,000 foreign tourists who had visited Japan. When asked about difficulties they encountered during their stay, 21.9 percent cited a lack of trash bins, making it one of the top concerns.
Other notable complaints included language barriers when communicating with facility staff (15.2 percent), and overcrowding at tourist destinations (13.1 percent).
Additionally, 8.6 percent pointed to long wait times at immigration, more than double the figure from the previous year, suggesting growing frustration over entry procedures.
Despite the issues, the proportion of tourists who reported experiencing no problems at all rose significantly to 51.1 percent, up 21.4 percentage points from the previous survey.
The tourism agency attributes improvements in communication and visitor infrastructure as factors behind the increase in satisfaction.
The agency pledged to continue working with relevant ministries to address emerging concerns and further improve the travel experience for international visitors.
In 2024, Japan welcomed a record-breaking 36.86 million foreign visitors, official data showed. ■
