Japan welcomes 10.5 million foreign tourists, led by Chinese visitors
Foreign arrivals in Japan reached 10.5 million in the first quarter of this year, marking a 23.1% year-on-year increase.
The surge was largely attributed to the relaxation of visa requirements for Chinese visitors and more affordable airfares.
According to Nikkei Asia, foreign arrivals in March alone stood at 3.5 million, a slight decrease compared to 3.78 million in January.
A significant contributor to this growth was the influx of Chinese tourists, with 2.36 million arrivals—an increase of 78% year on year and 9% higher than pre-Covid-19 levels in 2019. This was largely due to the Japanese government's decision to ease visa regulations for Chinese nationals, alongside a visa exemption scheme for visitors to Expo 2025 Osaka.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Chinese travellers largely avoided international travel due to stringent domestic restrictions. Although China reopened in 2023, outbound travel recovered slowly. In 2024, Chinese visitors accounted for 19% of Japan’s total foreign arrivals.
Another factor attracting international visitors is the drop in airfare. For example, All Nippon Airways (ANA) introduced round-trip flights from seven major Chinese cities—including Beijing and Shanghai—to Tokyo or Osaka for just 850 yuan (approximately 3,978 baht).
Japan has increasingly become a preferred destination for Chinese tourists, overtaking several Southeast Asian countries that are now perceived as less safe following a series of human trafficking incidents and a recent earthquake in Myanmar, which also caused tremors in Bangkok.
The earthquake has raised concerns among travellers about safety when visiting Thailand, affecting its tourism sector. Tourists from Hong Kong, in particular, are wary of seismic activity, leading many to reconsider trips to Thailand and even Japan—despite both being favoured destinations.
The upcoming Easter holiday from April 18–21 is likely to cause delays in travel plans for Hong Kong residents. In March, visitor arrivals from Hong Kong to Japan dropped by 9.9%, the largest decline among major source markets.
Nevertheless, Japan remains a popular destination for Southeast Asian travellers. A recent survey by the ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore found that tourism from ASEAN countries—such as Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam—increased by 18.3% year on year from January to March.
The Japan Tourism Agency reported that foreign tourists spent a total of 2.27 trillion yen (US$15.89 billion) in the first quarter, a 28.4% year-on-year increase. The majority of this expenditure was on accommodation, shopping, and food and beverages.
Chinese tourists were the top spenders, accounting for approximately one-fifth of the total at 357.4 billion yen, followed by Taiwanese tourists at 260.6 billion yen.
