"I Didn't Expect This Much"... As Chinese Numbers Plunge, South Koreans Become Top Visitors to Japan

21.08 Million Foreign Visitors to Japan in First Half, Down Year-on-Year

Chinese Arrivals Plummet, While Korean and Taiwanese Tourists Rise

The number of foreign visitors to Japan in the first half of this year decreased for the first time in five years. This was mainly due to the number of Chinese tourists being reduced by more than half. In contrast, the number of South Korean tourists increased by about 19% from last year, taking the top spot in the number of visitors by country and region.

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According to data released by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) on July 16, the total number of foreign visitors to Japan during January to June this year was 21,084,800, a 2.0% decrease compared to the same period last year. This is the first time in five years, since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, that the number of foreign visitors to Japan in the first half of the year has decreased year-on-year.

Number of Chinese tourists plummeted by 56%

The sharp decline in visitors from China was a major factor behind the overall decrease in foreign arrivals. In the first half of this year, 2,058,200 Chinese tourists visited Japan, a 56.4% drop compared to 4,718,540 in the same period last year. In June alone, the number of Chinese visitors was just 340,700, down 57.3% from the same month last year.

This trend is interpreted as the result of a continued reluctance in China to visit Japan following remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggesting involvement in the event of a Taiwan contingency. The decline in Chinese tourists has continued for seven consecutive months.

The total number of foreign visitors to Japan also remained below year-ago levels for the third consecutive month since April. Last month, 3,148,600 foreign visitors came to Japan, a 6.8% decrease from June last year.

South Koreans up 18.6%, taking the top spot among foreign visitors

Unlike the decline in Chinese tourists, demand for travel to Japan surged from South Korea and Taiwan. In the first half of this year, 5,675,100 South Koreans visited Japan, an 18.6% increase from the same period last year. This was the largest number among all countries and regions. In June alone, 787,100 South Koreans visited Japan, up 7.8% from the same month last year.

The number of travelers from Taiwan increased by 20.9% to 3,972,200 in the first half, making it the second largest after South Korea. American visitors rose by 7.1% to 1,821,700 and those from Hong Kong increased by 2.2% to 1,298,500, respectively.

Other countries also saw increases, such as India (22.9%), Mexico (29.2%), and Russia (24.7%). As a result, despite the steep drop in Chinese arrivals, the overall decrease in foreign visitors was limited to just 2%.

The Japan National Tourism Organization explained that factors such as reduced flights in some regions and cancellations due to typhoons also contributed to the decrease in visitors last month. However, for June, a record-high number of visitors from 15 countries and regions—including South Korea, Taiwan, the United States, India, and Vietnam—was recorded.

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