Japan has always had a love/hate relationship with foreigners. (I should know, I've lived, worked, and raised a family in southern Japan since 1979.)
The recent surge of tourism from "western" countries has been a complicated experience for many Japanese. During Covid the tourism industry fell apart, both for foreign and domestic tourists. Many were bemoaning these losses, it was in the news constantly.
Suddenly, because Covid was at least partially under control and a surprisingly weak yen, tourists began to pour in. Unlike the previous mainly South Korean, Chinese, and other Asian tourists, the western tourist didn't arrive in groups, they didn't follow tour guides, stay at the same hotels, eat at the same restaurants, and use the same modes of transportation.
This confused many Japanese. These foreigners weren't following the rules. They invaded quiet spots, sought out unknown sites, ate at odd restaurants, stayed in cheap hotels and took and posted billions of videos of their "adventures". One izukaya owner became a local hero for not having an English menu, refusing to try to help a foreign couple order, and kicking them out of his restaurant. It was national news.
These days many claim that all foreign residents, workers, and visitors should speak Japanese, follow Japanese customs, and respect Japanese culture.
Now Japan cannot really afford to expel their tourists, it is a new mainstay of many local economies. But they do wish these tourists would take their videos, spend their money, and leave; perhaps as locals who live in most popular tourist places world-wide wish.
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