Historically Hawaii has been the most favored destination for Japanese visitors, and continues to be so even following the end of coronavirus travel restrictions, according to surveys conducted by Japanese tourist agencies (2023-24 Year end/New Year Travel Trend, JTB).

Though potential visitors account for great numbers, the recovery from the pre-pandemic era is currently still less than 50% so far in this year compared to 2019 (“Hawaii tourism: On the mend,” Star-Advertiser, Nov. 1). Given the fact that Japanese people have made up the majority of international visitors to Hawaii, and given the history of traditional people-to-people exchanges, the return of Japanese visitors is critically important to Hawaii’s economy and to the further development of the Japan-Hawaii relationship. We may reasonably anticipate a full-fledged recovery following an improvement of current economic conditions, including the value of the yen.

Regardless of regional and international circumstances, Hawaii’s importance and uniqueness to the U.S. and Japan will not change.

In particular, Hawaii will remain a special place for Japanese people. Visitors from Japan, especially those belonging to younger generations, have special reason to learn the history of Japanese immigrants and their contributions to Hawaii’s society, as well as Japanese-American soldiers’ dedication to U.S. military operations in Europe during the Second World War, as seen in the bravery and sacrifice of the 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.

It is also highly meaningful for Japanese visitors to learn the history of the war, including the Pearl Harbor attack and the signing of the Instrument of Surrender on the USS Missouri. The transformation of Japan and the United States from former enemies into the most important allies with global partnership provides as great a model to the world as the Franco-German rapprochement in Europe. It is no less important that many Japanese tourists enjoy Hawaii’s amazing natural beauty, culture and food.

We understand that one issue frequently heard in Hawaii is the concern about possible over-tourism, which may intrude upon and negatively affect the local environment and cultural heritage, as well as the serenity of people’s life.

It is, however, unthinkable that Japanese visitors ignore these concerns or undermine the lifestyle and well-being of the locals. Rather, their respect and admiration for the environment and culture in Hawaii will contribute to the preservation and conservation of nature and cultural heritage, while leading to enhanced mutual understanding and business cooperation with local counterparts.

Japanese spectators in baseball or football stadiums, for example, are well-known for their practice of cleaning and collecting litter around their seats, leaving the area cleaner than it was before. As a country with a long history of sophisticated culture, and affection for nature, as seen in the recent serial drama “Shogun,” Japanese visitors have great respect for the natural environment and diversified culture in Hawaii.

From these viewpoints, stringent restrictions, such as access limits or extra charges, aimed for environmental protection and cultural preservation may well be reviewed in a way that visitors respecting the local environment and culture could be treated in a more flexible manner. This particularly applies to participants on group tours arranged by tour agencies, due to their disciplined and controlled collective movement and activities.

Such flexible treatment or exemptions may also be applied categorically to school excursions, sister-city missions, and language or local culture study groups. Family reunions or wedding ceremony group tours may reasonably be allowed to take memorial photographs on beaches, which will further encourage their respect and affection for the environment and culture in Hawaii.

We trust that such a flexible and constructive treatment, along with effective promotion and infrastructure improvement, will encourage the recovery of conscientious travelers, which we believe most Japanese tourists are, and ultimately lead to sustained economic growth for Hawaii, further strengthening the relationship between Japan and Hawaii, as well as Japan and the U.S.

Yoshinori Kodama is the consul general of Japan in Honolulu.