English

Every two years since 2007, the World Economic Forum organization surveys global tourism destinations and announces the results.

English

This year’s report marked the first time that Japan was ranked first out of 117 countries and regions.

English

The reasons include the convenient transportation, wonderful nature and culture, and the safety and security of its cities, which allows visitors to enjoy the sights.

Explanation

One of the reasons Japan has taken the top spot is its convenient transportation infrastructure. That includes 「電車(densha)」, 「地下鉄(chikatetsu)」, 「バス(basu)」, 「飛行機(hikooki)」, and 「船(fune)」. Fares vary by region and transportation company. For example, one bus might have a distance-based fare structure, while another one running in the same area might use a zone-based system. Japan is also being recognized for its 「自然(shizen)」, that is, “nature.” In other words, natural resources such as mountains and lakes, trees and plants that exist independently of people. 「自然」 is a word that can be used to describe a person’s manner or demeanor. For example,「自然に振る舞う(shizen ni furumau)」 means “to act naturally” or “be oneself. You can also use 「自然」 to describe something that happened without human intervention. For example,「風でドアが自然にしまった(kaze de doa ga shizen ni shimatta)」 means “the wind blew the door shut.”

English

No. 2 through 10 were the U.S., Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, Australia, the U.K., Singapore, and Italy.

Explanation

In Japanese we use what are called counter words to indicate what a number or quantity means. In this sentence the word 「番(ban)」 is used after the numbers to signify “rank” or “position.” In a track race, the runner who comes in first is 「1番(ichi-ban)」, and the second-place finisher is 「2番(ni-ban)」. But when summing up the results of a race or presenting the athletes with medals, we use the counter word 「位(i)」, which signifies “rank” or “place.” For example, 「1位の人は金メダル、2位の人は銀メダルをもらいます。(Ichi-i no hito wa kin-medaru, ni-i no hito wa gin-medaru o moraimasu.)」 means “first place gets the gold medal, second place gets the silver medal.”

English

The organization says, “The coronavirus issue has made it clear that tourism is important to the global economy. Countries around the world must ensure that everyone can sightsee safely.”