South Korean visitors to Japan hit a record high in January while Chinese tourist numbers plummeted following Beijing's travel advisory, reshaping Japan's inbound tourism market.
According to statistics released by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) on February 19, foreign visitors to Japan totaled 3.5975 million in January, down 4.9% year-on-year. This marks the first annual decline since January 2022, when COVID-19 impacts persisted.
The sharp drop in Chinese visitors drove the overall decrease. Only 385,300 Chinese tourists visited Japan in January, plunging 60.7% from 980,520 in January last year—a reduction of approximately 590,000 visitors.
Analysts attribute the decline to diplomatic tensions. After Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested possible intervention in a Taiwan contingency, China issued a travel advisory in November urging citizens to avoid trips to Japan. The advisory, combined with warnings against studying in Japan and disputes over Japanese seafood imports, strained bilateral relations.
The timing of the Lunar New Year holiday also played a role. Last year's Spring Festival began in late January, while this year it shifted to mid-February, dispersing travel demand. JNTO stated that "the Chinese government's travel advisory and the holiday timing difference had a combined effect."
South Korea showed robust growth. Korean visitors reached 1.176 million in January, up 21.6% year-on-year—the highest monthly figure on record. Koreans comprised the largest share of all foreign visitors to Japan.
During the same period, 1.0726 million Japanese traveled abroad worldwide.
By country, South Korea ranked first, followed by Taiwan (694,500), China, the United States (207,800), and Hong Kong (200,000). With China's sharp decline, South Korea has emerged as Japan's top inbound tourism market.
South Korea, Taiwan, and Australia all set January records. Seventeen other markets including the United States, Indonesia, and the Philippines also posted all-time highs for January. While growth in these markets partially offset China's absence, the overall visitor count still declined given China's previously dominant share.
Industry analysts note that "structural factors including expanded Korea-Japan air routes, the weak yen, and short flight times are sustaining solid demand for Japan travel among Koreans." However, some forecast that recovery in Chinese tourism will be difficult in the short term, as it remains heavily dependent on diplomatic and political conditions.