The number of foreign tourists to Japan reached 42,829,443, surpassing 40 million for the first time on a fiscal-year basis in fiscal 2025, according to preliminary government figures for March released on April 15.
While visitor numbers remain high, concerns are growing that future travel may decline due to cooling relations with China and reduced international travel stemming from the United States and Israel’s war with Iran.
The number of visitors to Japan in fiscal 2025 increased by about 3.97 million from the previous year’s total of 38,849,540, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO).
In March alone, the number of visitors stood at 3,618,900, up 3.5 percent year on year, and every month from April 2025 to March set a new all-time high, with the exception of January; figures for February and March are estimates.
The weaker yen has led to an increase in travelers from across Asia, while visitor numbers from the United States, Europe and Australia have also risen sharply.
International tourist spending has likewise grown, reaching a record high 9.45 trillion yen ($59.5 billion) in 2025, according to an announcement on March 31.
FEWER TOURISTS FROM CHINA, MIDDLE EAST
At the same time, uncertainty has been increasing in recent months. Visitor numbers from China continue to trend downward.
Following strong opposition from China to remarks made by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in November last year regarding a potential crisis involving Taiwan, Beijing called on its citizens to refrain from traveling to Japan.
As a result, the number of visitors from China in December fell to 330,435, down 45.3 percent from the same month a year earlier. March also saw a year-on-year decline of 55.9 percent to 291,600, marking the fourth consecutive month of a substantial decrease compared to the same period the prior year.
In addition, the impact of worsening conditions in the Middle East is beginning to creep into the tourism sector. The number of visitors from the region fell 30.6 percent from a year earlier to 16,700, partly due to flight cancellations and travel restrictions.
Rising oil prices have also led overseas airlines to raise fuel surcharges, which is likely to become another factor of concern going forward.
The government aims to attract 60 million visitors annually and generate 15 trillion yen in inbound tourism spending by 2030.
Meanwhile, tourism-related problems such as congestion and noise, known as tourism pollution or overtourism, have been worsening in popular destinations, disrupting the daily lives of local residents.
The government said it will advance implementing countermeasures, including making use of revenue from the International Tourist Tax, also known as the departure tax, which will be raised from 1,000 yen to 3,000 yen in July.
AloJapan.com