As usual the Japan Times got it wrong. The ranking is not how friendly the nation is towards tourists, but how 'friendly' the economy is to the tourism industry. It's not directly about the experience that tourists have when they are here, but whether or not tourism industry can thrive and grow.

The categories used to rank the countries reflect this:

Sub-category 1: Enabling Environment

1. Business Environment (Is it easy for business to make money from tourists?)
2. Safety and Security (Is terrorism, war or crime keeping tourists away?)
3. Health and Hygiene (Are fears of getting sick keeping tourists away?)
4. Human Resources and Labor Market (Is it easy to find people to work in tourism?)
5. ICT Readiness (Is it easy for companies to exploit ICT resources to make money, e.g. can a hotel take reservations online?)

Sub-category 2: T&T Policy and Enabling Conditions

1. Prioritization of Travel and Tourism (Is the government promoting tourism?)
2. International Openness (Can tourists from overseas easily get a visa?)
3. Price Competitiveness (Are the taxes high, is the exchange rate favorable, etc.?)
4. Environmental Sustainability (Is there enough water for tourists to take showers, etc.?)

Sub-category 3: Infrastructure

1. Air Transport Infrastructure (Are there enough airports to get tourist to the country?)
2. Ground and Port Infrastructure (Are there enough trains, buses, cars to get tourist to the businesses?)
3. Tourist Service Infrastructure (Are there enough information centers, etc. to direct tourists to businesses?)

Sub-category 4: Natural and Cultural Resources

1. Natural Resources (Are there sufficient things to attract tourists?)
2. Cultural Resources and Business Travel (Are there sufficient things to attract tourists and business travelers?)

When you look at these categories it's easy to see why Japan does well on this index.