Japanese households plan to spend the most in six years this summer as more people aim to travel despite rising inflation and a weakening yen, according to a survey by Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance.

Conducted from June 14 to June 21 with 1,120 participants between the ages of 20 to 59, the company¡¯s survey showed that the average summer vacation budget for leisure activities this year has surged to ?82,964, an increase of ?10,296 from last year.

This marks the third consecutive year of budget increases for leisure spending and the first time in six years that it has surpassed ?80,000.

The survey found that 58.5% of respondents have plans for an outing, up from 56.6% last year, while 41.5% intend to stay home, down from 43.4% last year.

Among those opting to stay in, 43.7% cited the brutal summer heat, while 34.6% said they wanted to avoid crowds. Some 32.7% cited rising prices for staying in, up from 29.8% last year.

For those planning to go out, domestic travel remains the top choice, comprising 56.9%, while international travel has dipped slightly to 7.3%.

Domestic travelers will spend an average of ?137,357, a sharp increase from last year¡¯s ?107,836. International travelers plan to spend ?438,125, also a significant increase from ?312,326 in 2023.

The survey also highlights a split in consumer behavior, with 16% of respondents planning to spend more on summer fun than last year, down from 16.6%, while 20% are cutting back, up from 15%. Over 60% of those reducing their budgets cited rising living costs as the main reason.

Meanwhile, 72.6% of those increasing their budgets, up from last year¡¯s 67.7%, are doing so because they want to travel.

¡°Households are remaining cautious with their spending to combat inflation, making it a challenge for parents to find ways to enjoy summer vacation on a tighter budget,¡± said Satsuki Kimura, an economist at Meiji Yasuda Research Institute.

¡°However, (recent economic statistics show) that living conditions will gradually improve in the future¡± since prices aren¡¯t rising as sharply as last year, she added.