[JohnBraden]

It's location on the globe has much to do with it. While it's close for Asian nations, it's far from Europe and the Americas. Like evanny has said, it's easier to whip through half a dozen European countries since they're all bunched together than to fly across the globe to visit just one. I'm not saying that's the right attitude, but they may get more bang for their buck.

As far as history, it's not that Japan doesn't have history, but much of what the "western" world as a whole knows is pretty stereotyped and minimal. I'm talking about the average Joe here, and there are way more average Joes than people who really care to know about Japanese history. All most people know is samurai and what they may have retained in their memory about movies they have seen. Japan is so different to what most are used to (i.e. medieval Europe, the conquest of the Americas, etc) that it doesn't have the appeal to them. All this I gather from talking to people at work. I know it's just a small cross-section of society in a mid-west city, but I'm sure there is quite a bit of truth in it. Heck, some still think Chinese and Japanese are the same thing, even though they have different names! "If they were the same, then why call them differently?", is what I ask them and most just shrug their shoulders. they just don't know. Or don't care.

The climate? Well, those same people don't know what climate Japan has. I've lived in Tohoku for 2 years and have dealt with the humid summers and snowy winters, so I know there are different seasons, but the average Joe? They probably don't care.

Most of the people I know are not into anime, or videogames or the trendy things that come from Japan, including the food, so that's not an attractive point as well.

I think what it boils down to is that Japan does have its "fans"- people interested in the culture, the country, the food, the entertainment, the shopping, the people, etc. And it's those people who come to Japan. I'm not talking about Asians now, since it's closer and more affordable for them. Europeans and Americas see Japan as being so far away, it's not on their "agenda" and they'd rather go to Vegas or the Caribbean, etc.

Lately, the exchange rate and the disasters have not helped any either.

disclaimer: this has been a generalizing post. It's my interpretation on the situation based on what I have observed and the limited knowledge I've gathered, so if I'm wrong, or you don't agree, we can discuss it....