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Live Terminal
World · Full coverage

Why More Israelis Are Flocking to Japan

How 2 Israeli newsrooms covered this story — translated into English and compared side by side.

100% center
Center 2

By יוגב כרמל

First reported by Mako · Jun 18, 2026

What happened

Israelis are visiting Japan in record numbers, driven by cheaper travel, pop culture, and social media. A Tel Aviv Japanese school says demand has tripled, with more children and families joining. Interviewees describe Japan as both fashionable and emotionally compelling, with many returning repeatedly.

  • 01Israeli visits to Japan jumped from 6,931 in 2011 to more than 93,000 in 2025.
  • 02A Tel Aviv Japanese school says student numbers are now about three times higher.
  • 03Parents now call about Japanese lessons for seven-year-olds and bar mitzvah trips.
  • 04Cheaper prices and the weaker yen are major reasons for the surge.
  • 05Anime, manga, J-pop, and "Cool Japan" helped turn Japan into a mainstream obsession.

Summary translated & synthesized from the sources below by baba. Read each original for the full report.

In this story
People
Noa KirelDaniel Peretz
OrganizationsN12, Cool Japan, Japan Tourism Ministry, Home Front Command, Netflix
PlacesJapan, Tel Aviv, Tokyo, Kyoto, Nahariya, Florentin, Israel

Full coverage · 2 outlets

The same event, reported separately by each newsroom. Open a few to compare what each emphasizes — and what they leave out.

MakoCenter · HebrewJun 18, 2026
Why More Israelis Are Flocking to Japan
N12Center · HebrewJun 18, 2026
Why Japan Has Become a Magnet for Israelis

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