"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

The number of foreign tourists visiting Japan last month declined for the first time in three months. The decrease was attributed to a decline in Chinese tourists, which was influenced by concerns over rising airfares due to escalating tensions in the Middle East.

A street view of Tokyo, Japan. Pixabay

According to NHK on May 20, the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) announced that the number of foreign visitors to Japan in April was 3,692,200. This is a 5.5% decrease compared to the same month last year, marking the first decline in three months since January this year.

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

In contrast, the number of Chinese tourists stood at only 330,700, a 56.8% decrease from the same period last year. The decline in Chinese tourists continued for the fifth consecutive month. This trend is seen as a result of prolonged tensions between China and Japan following Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks in November last year, which signaled Japan's intention to intervene in the event of a Taiwan contingency. Following Prime Minister Takaichi's comments, the Chinese authorities issued warnings against traveling to Japan, and Chinese airlines canceled thousands of flights.

In addition, there were declines of 11.1% for Australia, 13.8% for the United Kingdom, and 34.2% for Italy, respectively.

The Japan National Tourism Organization explained that last year, the Christian Easter holidays fell in mid to late April, which resulted in a significant increase in tourists from Europe and other regions. However, this year, the holiday season spanned from March to April, resulting in a decrease compared to last year due to the rebound effect.

The Japan Tourism Agency stated that it is closely monitoring whether the decline in foreign tourists will continue if airline fuel surcharges and airfares increase further due to rising international oil prices.

At a press conference, Shigeki Murata, Commissioner of the Japan Tourism Agency, said regarding the impact of fuel price increases caused by the Iran war on inbound foreign tourism: "It is difficult to predict to what extent airline fuel surcharge hikes will affect the numbers," adding, "We will pursue strategic inbound promotion efforts 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.