Survey finds 72% of Japanese accommodations understaffed

A government white paper released Friday found that 72.2% of 522 accommodation facilities surveyed between December and January reported labor shortages amid rising inbound tourism. Midsize facilities with annual sales between ¥100 million and ¥1 billion showed the highest rate, at 77.1% of 280 properties.

More than 90% of those midsize facilities had fewer than 100 employees, and nearly half had fewer than 30.

Reported effects of shortages The survey showed 79.3% of understaffed facilities experienced increased workloads during peak periods. Half said they incurred extra hiring costs and time, while 40.6% reported cutting services. Low pay and limited days off were cited among reasons for recruitment difficulties.

Officials noted that hiring foreign nationals and part-time workers has provided temporary relief.

Government recommendations The white paper stated that raising salaries, improving benefits, and creating workplaces more supportive of women are needed for long-term solutions. Investments in digital tools were also listed as necessary steps. Japan recorded 42.68 million foreign visitors in 2025, the highest annual total to date.

The country ranked first in Asia and ninth worldwide for foreign arrivals in 2024, and first in Asia and eighth globally for tourism revenue that year. The government has set a target of 60 million inbound visitors annually by 2030.