South Koreans Fill the Gap Left by Chinese Tourists... Record-High Number of Visitors to Japan in February

326,000 Fewer Chinese Tourists Due to Travel Advisory

1.08 Million South Koreans Visited Japan in February, Setting a Record

The number of foreign tourists visiting Japan in February reached an all-time high for the month. While the number of Chinese tourists significantly decreased following the Chinese government's advisory against visiting Japan, the surge in South Korean visitors appears to be the main reason for the record. In February, the number of South Korean tourists traveling to Japan surpassed 1 million, accounting for the largest share among all foreign visitors to Japan.

A view of the streets of Tokyo, Japan. Pixabay

According to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) on March 18, 396,400 Chinese tourists visited Japan in February. This represents a decrease of 45.2% (326,524 people) compared to the same month last year, when the figure was 722,924.

This decline is attributed to the Chinese government's effective advisory against travel to Japan, which followed Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's remarks about the possibility of intervention in the event of a Taiwan contingency.

JNTO explained, "Despite differences in the timing of the Chinese Lunar New Year holidays, the Chinese government's advisory against travel to Japan contributed to the decline in visitors." In fact, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Japan fell by 45% in December of last year and by 61% in January of this year, indicating a sustained downward trend.

1.08 Million South Koreans Visited Japan in February, the Largest Among All Foreign Tourists

A notice for flights to Tokyo Narita, Japan, is displayed at the check-in counter in the departure hall of Terminal 2 at Incheon International Airport. The Asia Business Daily database

In contrast, the number of South Korean tourists increased sharply. In February, 1,086,400 South Koreans visited Japan, marking a 28.2% year-on-year increase and setting a new all-time high for February. South Koreans accounted for the largest share of all foreign visitors to Japan. Previously, in January, the number of South Korean tourists reached 1,176,000, also setting a monthly record at that time.

This was followed by 693,600 visitors from Taiwan, 233,900 from Hong Kong, and 219,700 from the United States.

The total number of foreign visitors was 3,466,700, a 6.4% increase from the previous year, setting a new all-time high for February.

Measures to Address Overtourism: Increases in Accommodation and Departure Taxes

Meanwhile, as the surge in tourists has fueled concerns over so-called "overtourism," local governments in Japan are introducing measures in response. Starting next month, Kyoto City plans to raise the maximum accommodation tax per person from the current 1,000 yen (approximately 9,400 won) to up to 10,000 yen (approximately 94,000 won).

Hokkaido will introduce an accommodation tax of up to 500 yen (4,700 won) from April, and 13 basic local governments under its jurisdiction, including Sapporo City, also plan to impose separate charges. Tokyo is also planning to effectively increase its accommodation tax, switching from the current fixed amount of 100 to 200 yen to a proportional system that will apply a 3% rate to accommodation fees starting next year.

Separately, the Japanese government also plans to raise the International Tourist Tax (departure tax) imposed on all travelers leaving Japan from 1,000 yen to 3,000 yen (approximately 28,000 won) starting in July.

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