Tourism boom: Japan shatters visitor records amid weak yen and expanded flights

Travelers spent a record 9.5 trillion yen ($60.1 billion), fueled by a weaker yen and expanded flight connections that made Japan more accessible than ever.

Yet, Tourism Minister Yasushi Kaneko revealed that arrivals from China plunged 45 per cent in December, dropping to 330,000 visitors compared to the same month a year earlier. This was the first decline in Chinese tourism since January 2022, when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted global travel. Officials attribute the downturn to escalating tensions between Tokyo and Beijing.

Despite the setback, Japan’s overall tourism numbers soared past the 40-million mark for the first time, roughly six million higher than in 2024. Kaneko emphasized that Japan will pursue “strategic tourism promotion” to diversify its visitor base, noting strong growth from Australia, Europe, and the U.S.

The Japanese government has set an ambitious target: 60 million foreign visitors annually by 2030. But success brings challenges: popular destinations are grappling with overcrowding and occasional misbehavior by tourists, sparking debate over how to balance growth with sustainability.

In response, Japan plans to triple its international tourist tax – charges to all travelers departing the country – from 1,000 yen to 3,000 yen starting in July.

Earlier, it was reported that number of ski resorts in Japan slid 40% from 1999 peak.