Reuters
[Source: Reuters]
Wrapped up in warm coats and woolly hats, hundreds of people have braved Moscow’s chilly spring weather to form an orderly queue. But they have not come to see a celebrity or an exclusive exhibition.
What they want are Japanese visas.
With most of Europe having banned direct flights with Russia, and Japan offering free visas, Russians are exploring new holiday destinations and making the most of the strengthening rouble and a rise in real wages fuelled by the economic recovery wrought by Moscow’s heavy spending on the war in Ukraine.
Japanese airlines no longer have direct flights with Russia, but the Japanese embassy in Moscow said Russian visitor numbers were increasing along with the availability of connecting flights.
The number of Russians holidaying in Japan is set to double this year from around 100,000 in 2024, Dmitry Gorin, vice president of the Russian union of the tourism industry, told Reuters.
Queues at the embassy are understandable, Gorin added, as Japan’s famous cherry blossoms in spring were a popular attraction.
Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.
