Foreign Visitors to Japan Top 40 Million in 2025; Despite Fewer Chinese Tourists, a New Record Is Set | WPN World People News

According to a report by Japanese media outlet Yomiuri Shimbun, the number of foreign visitors to Japan surpassed the 40-million mark in 2025, reaching approximately 42.7 million arrivals—an increase of 16% from 2024 and a new all-time high.

Japan’s Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Hiromasa Kaneko, stated at a press conference following a Cabinet meeting on the 20th that the number of inbound foreign visitors in 2025 reached 42.7 million, a significant rise from 36.87 million in 2024. The growth was mainly driven by the weak yen and a strong post-pandemic recovery in tourism demand. In terms of economic impact, total spending by inbound tourists in 2025 amounted to about ¥9.5 trillion (approximately NT$1.9 trillion), up 17% year on year, marking a record high for the third consecutive year.

In terms of the composition of inbound visitors, the Chinese market—accounting for more than 20% of total arrivals—has been a key driver of growth. However, after the Chinese government called on its citizens from November 2025 to reduce travel to Japan, the number of Chinese visitors in December plunged 45% compared with the same period a year earlier, falling to around 330,000. This marked the first time in nearly four years that the number of Chinese visitors to Japan declined year on year.

With the Lunar New Year holiday in China approaching in February, the sharp drop in Chinese visitor numbers has sparked serious concern within Japan’s tourism industry over lost holiday business opportunities. In response, Kaneko emphasized that the Japanese government will not only work to diversify its sources of international visitors, but will also make efforts to encourage the early return of Chinese tourists.