Japan's inbound tourism on the eve of the 2020 Olympic Games

The article examines the data on Japan’s inbound tourism from the East Asian countries and other regions in the course of 2019, i.e. on the eve of the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The author assesses the risks that may hinder the Japanese side to achieve the task of hosting 40 mln foreign tourists in 2020 such as the outbreak of coronavirus pneumonia in China. The paper considers the situation in the field of the Russian-Japanese mutual tourist exchange, which in general shows positive dynamics, though with weak indicators. The preliminary goal to achieve a key figure of 400 thousand guests in the mutual tourist exchange is far from being attained. The author suggests some measures to enhance mutual tourism between Russia and Japan, which is an important indicator in the development of the Russian-Japanese relations.