[Post 1173] What is driving Japan’s tourism boom despite a steep fall in Chinese visitors?

Summary

Foreign tourists to Japan hit a record high of 42.7 million in 2025, topping the last record set the previous year. This is despite a sharp decline in visitors from China in December, with the number of Chinese tourists dropping 45 per cent on-year amid a diplomatic spat between Beijing and Tokyo. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi had said in November that Japan could intervene if Taiwan is attacked, prompting the Chinese government to urge its citizens to avoid traveling to Japan. Gary Bowerman, director of High-Yield Tourism, speaks to CNA’s Asia Now about what is driving Japan’s tourism boom and why China remains critical to Japan’s long-term visitor targets.