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Survey Reveals Lack of Public Trash Cans a Top Concern for Japan Tourists

By: MerxWire

February 20, 2025 at 08:17 AM EST

The Japan Tourism Agency pointed out that the lack of trash cans in public places has become the biggest problem facing tourists visiting Japan.

The lack of trash cans at many tourist attractions and stations is the biggest concern for travelers. (Photo via MERXWIRE)

TOKYO, JAPAN (MERXWIRE) – The Japan Tourism Agency surveyed “Improving the Reception Environment for Foreign Tourists Visiting Japan” and found that the proportion of people who answered “I did not encounter any problems during the trip” was 29.7%, a decrease of nearly 10 percentage points from the previous survey, indicating that the tourism environment has improved significantly. However, “no trash can” (30.1%), an increase of 6.6% from the last survey (2019), has become the most common problem among travelers.

As the number of tourists in Japan continues to rise, both domestic and foreign visitors have expressed confusion and concern about the lack of trash cans in public places. In particular, many foreign tourists are puzzled that there are no trash cans in public places in Japan, especially at stations and on the streets. This phenomenon has become a significant question for tourists in Japan, a country known for its cleanliness.

In Japan’s major cities, especially tourist hotspots such as Tokyo and Osaka, tourists often have difficulty finding suitable places to dispose of their garbage. Travelers from South Korea said that it was troublesome that there were no trash cans at tourist attractions and stations. There was no place to throw away food bags or drink bottles, so they had to carry them with them at all times.

However, some tourists have a favorable view of not having trash cans. A tourist from Taiwan said it was initially difficult to find trash cans and that they were not used to them. However, after coming to Japan a few times, I learned to avoid taking food or drinks from restaurants so that I would not have to throw away trash and could keep the public environment clean.

At the same time, safety, cleanliness, and improving tourist satisfaction have become key factors in setting up public trash cans. (Photo via MERXWIRE)

As for the lack of trash cans, some people link it to the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin gas attack, believing that the removal of trash cans was due to anti-terrorism measures. However, this statement is not accurate. Although some stations removed their trash cans after the sarin gas attacks, many have reinstalled them in the following years. Therefore, it is not reasonable to attribute the removal of the trash cans solely to this incident.
Another reason is local government cleaning policies. As urban garbage increases, especially household garbage, it is thrown into public trash cans. Some areas have chosen to remove trash cans on the streets to reduce garbage overflow and unsanitary problems. These measures were initially intended to maintain the city’s cleanliness, but they have become a big nuisance for tourists unfamiliar with the local environment.
As tourism develops, how Japan can solve the problem of insufficient trash cans while keeping its cities clean has become an enormous challenge. Although residents are accustomed to taking their garbage home for disposal, the lack of trash cans is still a problem for tourists unfamiliar with the environment and culture. Improving the quality of tourism services while considering the environment and hygiene will be an important direction for future policy adjustments.

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Survey Reveals Lack of Public Trash Cans a Top Concern for Japan Tourists

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