Transcription
Hello everyone, back again with your future graduate. Isn't it sad when, for example, you've saved for years to go to Japan, and then when you get there, you're not greeted with friendly smiles from Japanese people, but with a huge, 2.5-meter-high black net wall blocking the view of Mount Fuji. Not to mention the "no entry" signs in Kyoto's alleys, plus a 10,000 Yen fine if you dare to pass through. Japan, a country we once knew as the most polite and friendly in Asia, is now experiencing a phenomenon where some of its citizens, guys, are putting up walls everywhere. "Don't smoke." It's not at their country's borders, mind you, but in front of their most iconic tourist spots. And this isn't a coincidence, because I found four hidden forces that are making this country, slowly, guys, seem to resent tourists, including tourists from Indonesia. And it turns out, after thinking about it, the same pattern, guys, is happening behind us, in our own country. I'll explain one by one, guys. And in the middle of this video, I'll also give you data that will make you all think twice before making a decision. Okay, let's start with the numbers, shall we? In 2024, Japan was visited by 36.9 million foreign tourists. That's a record high in their history. And what about 2025? They'll hit 40 million before the year ends, friends. Now, for comparison, Japan's population is 123 million people. That means almost a third of their population is circulating as tourists in their own country every year. Isn't that overwhelming? But it's not just the number that's causing problems. The problem is the concentration. 70% of Japan's territory is mountainous and uninhabitable. So, all the tourists are crammed into five cities: Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Sapporo, and Fukuoka. Just imagine Kyoto. Its population is only 1.5 million people, friends. But the city accommodates millions of tourists per year. The ratio becomes 33 to 1. It's like your house, for example. Every day, you see 33 strangers hanging out in your yard. You want to dry your clothes, and there's a foreigner taking selfies. You want to go to the store, and the street in front is jammed with tourist buses. You wouldn't feel comfortable for long, would you? The situation has worsened even more after COVID. In 2021, there were only 246,000 tourists in Japan, friends. But when the borders reopened in 2022, everyone who had been holding back their travel plans rushed in. This is what's called revenge tourism. That's why from 246,000 tourists in 2021, it jumped to 25 million in just 1 year, a hundredfold increase. Japan's infrastructure, which was already strained by the pandemic, is now struggling to cope with this wave, and the yen has plummeted. Now, the question is, why is Japan only feeling overwhelmed now? When there have been so many tourists for so long, right? The first answer is money. In July 2024, the Japanese yen plummeted, friends, to its lowest level since 1987. For us who hold rupiah, it's great, isn't it? Hotels in Tokyo that used to cost 3 million yen per night can now be had for only 1.7 million yen, friends. Eating ramen in Osaka that used to cost only 250,000 yen is now 140,000 yen. It feels like Japan is having a permanent clearance sale, right? For tourists, it's like a paradise, guys. But what about the Japanese people who live there? It's a disaster, friends. Because the yen is weak, all imported goods become expensive. Gas prices go up, food prices go up, electricity prices go up, but their salaries remain the same. Meanwhile, hotels are raising prices to match the purchasing power of foreign tourists. And what's the result? Japanese people themselves can't afford to travel in their own country. Young Japanese people also can't go abroad because their yen is becoming worthless, friends. A funny yet sad fact is that only about 17% of young Japanese people aged 20 to 34 have a passport. Compare that to America with 40% or Canada with 60%. Young Japanese people can't go out, and in their own country, they are displaced by foreign tourists who pay with a much stronger currency. This, guys, is called an economic trap. It's like Balinese people seeing villas in Canggu rented out for 100 million rupiah a month to foreigners, while they themselves rent a room for 1.5 million rupiah in Denpasar. That's why, guys, have you ever felt like a foreigner in your own home? That's what Japanese people are currently experiencing. Anime tourism and cultural friction. The second factor driving this tourist flood isn't economic, but anime. During the pandemic, everyone was stuck at home, and they ended up watching anime. Demon Slayer, Attack on Titan, and Jujutsu Kaisen became world-famous. The global anime market reached 50 billion dollars in 2024. So, when the borders opened, all these people wanted to make a pilgrimage to the places featured in their favorite anime. An extreme example, guys. There's a railway crossing in Kamakura. It's just an ordinary street, nothing special at all. But because of an iconic scene from the anime Slam Dunk, now, guys, thousands of tourists from all over East Asia stand in the middle of this street. They pose like Sakuragi Hanamichi just to take photos. The local government even had to hire security to manage them to prevent accidents. It's crazy, right? A '90s anime I watched in elementary school is now causing traffic jams in Kamakura. Imagine, guys, residents who have lived there for 30 years have to take detours just to get to their offices. And this is because of an anime released when they weren't even born yet. But wait, friends, this is just the beginning. Because the problem isn't just the crowds of tourists. There's something else happening quietly in Japan: a cultural shift that is literally forcing local residents out of their homes. And if you think this is just a Japanese problem, you're greatly mistaken. The same phenomenon is starting to be seen in Bali, Jogja, and Bandung. What's the connection to Indonesia? Now you might be thinking, "Well, this is just Japan's problem, man. What does it have to do with me in Indonesia?" It has a lot to do with you, friends. And the data will make your hair stand on end. Bali is like Japan's Kyoto. Iconic, crowded, and slowly dying. In 2025, more than 7 million foreign tourists will set foot in our Bali. That's a 19% increase from the previous year. And do you know Bali's population? Around 4.3 million people. The ratio is already more than 1.6 to 1. And the problem is exactly the same as in Japan: waste. Bali generates 1.6 million tons of waste per year. Plastic waste alone is 303,000 tons, friends. Only 48% is managed properly, and only 7% is recycled. That's why Kuta Beach, which used to be exotic, now looks more like a chaotic market in the morning. An influencer from the UK left only 48 hours after landing, friends, because they couldn't stand the situation. "There is rubbish along the waterfront. Like it literally goes on the whole entire way. What the actual? Why don't people show you this?" What about property? It's going crazy, right? On Bingin Beach, dozens of local warungs and businesses were demolished to make way for big investors. Foreigners are also opening illegal businesses by using local names as nominees, friends. Who benefits? They do. And who becomes staff with minimum wage? Balinese people. This, guys, is the beginning of cultural displacement. Many foreign tourists don't respect the customs either. They wear inappropriate clothing to temples, or to pagodas. They even take nude photos on sacred trees. You've probably seen the viral videos, right? Local tourists themselves feel left behind. This survey shows that Jogja is now the number one domestic destination, Bandung is second, and Bali has fallen to fourth. Indonesian people themselves are starting to feel lazy to go to Bali because it's too crowded, too expensive, and the vibe is no longer for locals. The pattern is literally similar to Japan, where the government chases visitor numbers, the economy depends on tourists, while the local residents bear the social costs, friends. The Indonesian Economic Institute INDEF has even warned that if not handled properly, overtourism will clearly become a chronic disease for Bali. The Japanese financial wall. Back to Japan, friends. Because their government doesn't want to reduce the number of tourists, they are actually targeting 60 million tourists by 2030. Therefore, they are using another strategy: building a financial wall. Starting March 1, 2026, Kyoto will increase its hotel tax tenfold, from 1,000 to 10,000 yen, or about 1.1 million rupiah per night for luxury hotels. For backpacker hostels, it will also increase, friends, from 200 yen to 400 yen. And that's not all, guys. Starting July 2026, the international departure tax will increase from 1,000 yen to 3,000 yen, friends. Plus, they plan to increase visa fees from 330,000 rupiah to 1.6 million rupiah. And on top of that, you know that GR prices will also increase per October 2026. They are not saying "stop coming," friends. They are saying "you can come, but pay more." The target is clear: to drive away cheap tourists, and attract wealthy tourists who can respect their culture more. Although, politeness has nothing to do with money, of course. And a little spoiler, guys, this pattern is also happening globally. In Barcelona in 2024, residents were spraying tourists with water guns. Venice is also trying a 5 euro entrance fee per person, but instead, 7,000 additional tourists came out of curiosity. Amsterdam has even stopped building new hotels. And Bali itself has started implementing a foreign tourist levy of 150,000 rupiah. All the beautiful cities in the world are learning the same lesson: too much love from tourists can slowly kill a city. Cultural collision. The next factor is cultural collision. Japan has a concept called "kūki wo yomu," friends. Or literally, it means "reading the air." What it means is this: in Japan, there are many social rules that are not written down anywhere. You get on a train, everyone is quiet, so you should be quiet too. There's nothing written saying "no noise," friends. But you should know it yourself. Then, for example, when entering a temple, everyone is quiet and respectful. Of course, you can't shout while making content and dancing, right? The problem is, the majority of tourists don't know these unwritten rules. They continue to talk loudly on the train. Goodbye. They shout in front of temples. They climb sakura trees for Instagram photos. Some tourists even tore the kimono of a Geisha. Try, try, try, try, try. Oh my! Friends, there was even a shocking incident where a tourist put a cigarette butt into a Geisha's neck, just because she didn't want to be photographed. Conclusion. So, I'll try to summarize, friends. Why does Japan feel like it hates tourists now? It's not because they are racist, nor because they have suddenly become xenophobic, friends. But because the system is starting to break down. And if you pay attention, this is exactly what is starting to happen in Bali now. That's why, friends, for those of you who want to go to Japan or even Bali, one message from me: learn to read the air. Look at how the locals behave, and just imitate them, friends. Don't be a tourist who only looks for warning signs. Be a tourist who comes, shows respect, and leaves a good impression. Because the walls that Japan is building now could very well be built in Bali too, if we don't care. Well, if you like this kind of content, don't forget to give it a like and subscribe, friends. See you guys in the next content. Bye bye. Anyways, that's all for today's video, guys. See you in the next video. Bye. [music]