Where does Japan rank among the most desired countries to visit?

The number of international tourists visiting Japan has been increasing year by year, reaching a record high in 2017.

Furthermore, 2019 will see the Rugby World Cup, 2020 the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, and 2021 the World Masters Games Kansai, marking the "Golden Sports Years."

These major sporting events are expected to further increase the number of foreign visitors to Japan and stimulate more active initiatives by government, local authorities, and companies. Amidst this, how is Japan perceived globally?

In which countries and regions is the desire to visit Japan growing, and for what reasons? Furthermore, how is "Made in Japan" currently perceived? Dentsu Inc.'s "Team Cool Japan" conducted the "Japan Brand Survey 2018" in 20 countries and regions worldwide from January to February 2018.

This series will introduce survey results that will be key points for future businesses targeting visitors to Japan. Part 2 focuses on "Desire to Visit Japan."

Q: Which countries would you like to visit in the future?

A "Japan" ranked #1 overall, in East Asia, and in ASEAN! "America" is popular among Europeans, while "Italy" and "Australia" are popular among North Americans.

Japan ranked first as the "Most Desired Country to Visit," continuing last year's survey results. Furthermore, regarding visit intentions, 76% of respondents overall answered either "I haven't set a date yet but want to go someday" or "I plan to travel within the next year," indicating Japan's enduring high popularity.

Looking at visit experience by region, over 60% of people in Asia have visited Japan. In contrast, only 20-30% of people in Europe and North America have visited, indicating that while there is interest in visiting Japan, the geographical distance appears to be a factor preventing actual visits.

Japan is set to enter its "Golden Sports Years" starting next year. This survey revealed strong interest in attending the Tokyo Olympics. It is anticipated that sports will serve as a catalyst, increasing the desire to visit Japan and likely leading to more visits.

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Japan Brand Survey 2018 Overview
● Purpose: To understand overseas consumers' perceptions and actual behavior regarding the overall "Japan Brand," including Japanese food, tourism, and Japanese products, thereby supporting corporate marketing activities.
●Target Areas: 20 countries and regions
China (Group A = Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou; Group B = Shenzhen, Tianjin, Chongqing, Suzhou, Wuhan, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Dalian, Xi'an, Qingdao), Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, India, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines, Australia, USA (Northeast, Midwest, South, West), Canada, Brazil, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Russia
※East Asia (China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea)
※ASEAN (Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines)
●Survey Method: Internet survey
●Respondent criteria: Men and women aged 20-59 in the middle-income bracket and above
※Definition of "middle-income": Conditions set per country based on national average income (OECD statistics, etc.) and social class classification (SEC)
●Sample size: China: 300 each for A and B groups, total 600; USA: 600; Other regions: 300 each, total 6,600
●Survey Period: January 12 to February 16, 2018

Dentsu Inc. Team Cool Japan
A cross-functional project team established by Dentsu Inc. to promote 'Cool Japan-related initiatives'—expanding products and services leveraging Japanese culture and strengths into overseas markets. It brings together client company representatives for overseas expansion, media and content specialists, overseas subsidiary network managers, producers, and planners to work on initiatives that project Japan's appeal to the world.