Japan welcomed over a million Australians in 2025.
Over one million Australian travellers headed to Japan during 2025, a 15 per cent rise on the previous year.
Japan also achieved a new annual record of 42,683,600 international arrivals during 2025.
“We are thrilled to begin 2026 on such a positive note, celebrating the arrival of one million Australians during 2025,” said Naoki Kitazawa, executive director for JNTO Sydney.
“What is particularly pleasing is the growth in visitors in addition to the popular Golden Route of Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto, with prefectures such as Fukuoka, Gifu, Niigata and Iwate* showing a significant increase in stays over the past 12 months.
“During 2026, we are encouraging Australian travellers, to take the time to travel far and wide and discover the lesser-known regions of Japan, from rural retreats and remote hiking trails to coastal camping and tranquil islands, in order to raise awareness of Japan’s diverse experiences, and to share the economic benefits nationwide.”
JNTO Sydney marketing manager Andrew Coombs said new segment of travellers are embracing Japan’s wilderness and adventure activities and seeking authentic cultural immersion.
“We look forward to continuing to welcome responsible Australian travellers to discover it all during 2026,” he said.
The result followed a broader trend, with international tourist arrivals up 4 per cent in 2025 according to UN Tourism’s World Tourism Barometer.
An estimated 1.52 billion international tourists were recorded globally in 2025, almost 60 million more than in 2024.
These numbers reflect a return to pre-pandemic growth trends, closer to the 5 per cent average increase per year between 2009 and 2019. Results were driven by strong demand, robust performance from large source markets and the ongoing recovery of destinations in Asia and the Pacific. Increased air connectivity and enhanced visa facilitation also supported international travel in 2025.
“Demand for travel remained high throughout 2025, despite high inflation in tourism services and uncertainty from geopolitical tensions,” UN Tourism Secretary-General Shaikha Alnuwais said.
“We expect this positive trend to continue into 2026 as global economy is expected to remain steady and destinations still lagging behind pre pandemic levels fully recover.”
AloJapan.com