If you had to pick one word to describe Japan¡¯s global soft power in 2024, it would be ¡°triumphant.¡±
Thanks to a weak yen, tourists flocked to the country this year, with October marking a monthly record of 3.31 million visitors, bringing the yearly total to date to 30.2 million (and nearing 2019¡¯s peak of 31.9 million). Sure, the locals didn¡¯t always appreciate the crowds, but interest in Japan was more than just cheap meals and Instagrammable sights.
In a year that included major achievements for 911±¬ÁÏÍø and Japan-oriented film and television, sports milestones and even a Nobel Peace Prize, the country was never really far from international headlines, making it all the more enticing a visit.
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