"Who Is Visiting Japan These Days?" The Once-Crowded Tourist Spots Empty Out... What's Happening?

Foreign Tourist Arrivals Reach 3,692,200
First Decline in Three Months Since January
China-Japan Tensions Lead to 56.8% Drop in Chinese Visitors Compared to Last Year

Last month, the number of foreign tourists visiting Japan declined for the first time in three months. This decrease was influenced by a drop in Chinese tourists as well as concerns over rising airline ticket prices due to heightened tensions in the Middle East.

The number of foreign tourists visiting Japan decreased last month for the first time in three months. The photo is an AI-generated image depicting Korean travelers visiting Japan. Getty Images

According to Japan's NHK on May 20, the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) announced that 3,692,200 foreign tourists visited Japan in April. This represents a 5.5% decrease compared to the same month last year, marking the first decline since January 2026.

By country and region, South Korea accounted for the largest number of visitors, with 878,600 travelers—an increase of 21.7% year-on-year. Taiwan also saw a rise, with 643,500 visitors, up 19.7% from the previous year.

On the other hand, the number of Chinese tourists was only 330,700, a 56.8% decrease from the same period last year. The decline in Chinese tourists has continued for five consecutive months. This trend is believed to be due to prolonged tensions between China and Japan following Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks in November 2025 regarding potential intervention in a Taiwan contingency. After Prime Minister Takaichi’s comments, Chinese authorities issued warnings against traveling to Japan, and Chinese airlines canceled thousands of flights.

A street scene in Tokyo, Japan. Pixabay

In addition, the number of tourists from Australia fell by 11.1%, from the United Kingdom by 13.8%, and from Italy by 34.2%, respectively.

The Japan National Tourism Organization explained that last year, the Christian Easter holiday fell in mid-to-late April, resulting in a significant influx of tourists from Europe and elsewhere. However, this year, the holiday period was spread between March and April, leading to a decrease due to a rebound effect from last year’s surge.

The Japan Tourism Agency stated that it is closely monitoring whether the decline in foreign tourists will continue if airlines begin to raise fuel surcharges and airfares in response to rising international oil prices.

In a press conference, Murata Shigeki, Commissioner of the Japan Tourism Agency, addressed the impact of fuel price increases caused by the Iran war on inbound foreign tourism. He said, "It is difficult to predict to what extent the rise in airline fuel surcharges will have an impact," and added, "We will implement strategic inbound tourism promotions so that more countries and regions can visit Japan, even amid changes in the external environment."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.