Japan welcomed 42.7 million tourists in 2025, a new record, even as Chinese arrivals plunged 45% in December amid a diplomatic dispute.
TOKYO: Japan set a new record for tourist arrivals in 2025 despite a sharp year-end decline in visitors from China amid a diplomatic row.
The transport ministry announced on Tuesday that 42.7 million tourists visited Japan last year, surpassing the 2024 record of nearly 37 million.
A weak yen continued to boost the country’s appeal as a premier travel destination.
However, tourist arrivals from China in December fell approximately 45% year-on-year to around 330,000.
The drop followed a diplomatic backlash after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested in November that Tokyo could intervene militarily if Taiwan were attacked.
China subsequently urged its citizens to avoid travelling to Japan.
Chinese tourists had been the largest source of visitors to Japan, accounting for a quarter of all foreign arrivals in the first nine months of 2025.
They spent the equivalent of $3.7 billion in the third quarter alone.
Transport Minister Yasushi Kaneko called the overall record a “significant achievement.”
“While the number of Chinese tourists in December decreased, we attracted a sufficient number of people from many other countries and regions to offset that,” he said.
Kaneko noted a “steep” increase in visitors from Europe, the United States, and Australia.
“We also hope and want to make sure that Chinese visitors will return to us as soon as possible,” he added.
Government policies promoting attractions from Mount Fuji to regional shrines and sushi bars contributed to the overall growth.
Japan has set an ambitious target of welcoming 60 million tourists annually by 2030.
The country’s largest travel agency, JTB, forecasts tourist numbers will be “slightly lower” in 2026 due to decreased demand from China and Hong Kong.
Nevertheless, tourism income is expected to rise due to higher lodging prices and strong visitor spending.
JTB added that an uptick in repeat visitors is shifting travel demand from large cities to rural areas.
Authorities aim to spread sightseers more evenly as complaints of overcrowding grow in hotspots like Kyoto.
Residents in the ancient capital have reported issues with tourists harassing geisha for photos and causing congestion.
Exasperated officials have taken steps to manage visitor impact in other areas.
Measures include introducing an entry fee and a daily cap for hikers on Mount Fuji.
A barrier was briefly erected outside a convenience store in 2024 to stop people obstructing traffic to photograph a viral view of the volcano.
