As the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics approach, we need to recognize what foreign tourists need and make efforts to help make their travel more satisfactory.

How about Japanese shop owners who actually WANT foreign customers?

what foreign tourists need

Uhm...'cause we're all the same?

From this retired ad agency owner and marketing prof, there's only one sure way to make that happen - ask foreign tourists for the true answers to the question and act on that information. Don't guess, don't poll Japanese citizens or the local tourism associations, and for heaven's sake don't believe the bureaucrats. Go to the source of the money that's coming to the country for the solution. Pity that simplicity isn't obvious to those who claim to care or pretend to want to do something about it.. As I used to tell my agency staff, Keep It Simple Stupid! And Don't Assume, or you'll turn yourself into the first three letters of that word.

After a couple of dozen meetings paid for other people they'll eventually figure it out....

I actually think Japan does a great job when dealing with foreign tourists. Living in Japan is a different issue, but for a tourist, the transport is great, things like the JR rail pass and other offers make it easy to get around. There's a lot of info online to help people plan and book. The language barrier can be difficult, but let's face it, if you're traveling to a foreign country then you've got to be up to the challenge. It's half the fun of going somewhere very different from home.

Trash Cans. They're not going to lug their trash all day until they get back to their hotel.

It's only 3 weeks and most people will come to see the events, not Japan. So don't sweat it...or spend tons of taxpayers money on it.

@ Fadamor - Nice one!