A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE SERVICE INDUSTRY IN JAPAN AND CHINA

In recent years, Japan's tourism industry has been affected by a rapid increase in visitors from China. This surge in Chinese travelers is mainly due to the depreciation of the yen, which has reduced the prices of flights and goods; in addition, the traditional Japanese approach to hospitality, known as ometenashi, has always been admired by the Chinese. However, most previous studies in this field have addressed the experiences and evaluation of Chinese tourists visiting Japan for the first time. The current study provides a new perspective on service delivery: that of the service provider. The aim of this study was to explore the provision of good service content in Japan from the perspective of the service provider, specifically Chinese who have worked in Japan's service industry with experience of working in Japan's service industry. These respondents were familiar with the actual processes of service delivery in both Japan(as providers) and China(as customers/service recipients). To examine the perceptions of this important group, we conducted a questionnaire survey targeting Chinese students with experience of working in the Japanese service industry. The responses were discussed and analyzed, offering comparative insights into the quality of service provision in Japan and China.