Cross-strait Tourism in the Japan–Korean Border Region: Fukuoka, Busan, and Tsushima

Abstract

This paper examines cross-border tourism initiatives to promote South Korean visitors to Japan's Tsushima Island. With a rapid growth of mutual influences and the construction of high-speed transportation, bilateral mobility between South Korea and Japan is booming accordingly. The past twenty years' trends in bilateral tourism between South Korea and Japan are first reported, followed by a 2008 survey conducted by the Fukuoka Asian Urban Research Center on tourism across the Tsushima Strait tourism, i.e. via Busan (South Korea) and Fukuoka (Japan). Comparative cross-strait analysis shows different motives and lengths of stay between Japanese and Korean tourists; however, both reports anticipate an incorporation of “experiences and exchanges” activities on their future visits. To promote cross-border tourism, findings of this study suggest a holistic approach by taking into account past history, current issues and future prospects of “near but remote” countries, such as Japan and Korea.