Record High! 21.51 Million Foreign Visitors to Japan in the First Half of 2025—A Turning Point for Japanese Tourism in "Quantity and Quality"

Record High! 21.51 Million Foreign Visitors to Japan in the First Half of 2025—A Turning Point for Japanese Tourism in "Quantity and Quality"

2025年07月17日 16:26

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction

  2. Background of Record-Breaking Figures: Reading "21.51 Million" through Statistics

  3.  Rapid Growth and Concentration by Country/Region (First Half of 2025, Foreign Visitors to Japan)

  4. Impact of 2.5 Trillion Yen in Foreign Spending

  5. Long Stays and Repeat Visitors Attracted by Yen Depreciation

  6. Government Policies and International Event Effects (Osaka/Kansai Expo/IR Plans, etc.)

  7. Disaster Rumors and Risk Management Behind the Decline in Hong Kong Visitors

  8. Current State of Overtourism and Keys to Regional Dispersion

  9. Opening New Markets with Sustainable Tourism and DX

  10. Conclusion and Future Strategic Guidelines



1. Introduction

In the first half of 2025, Japan's tourism industry entered an unprecedented phase of "quantitative expansion." This record-breaking pace has surpassed the pre-pandemic peak of 2019, reaching over 20 million visitors in just six months for the first time since statistics began.Xinhua



2. Background of Record-Breaking Figures: Reading "21.51 Million" through Statistics

The main reasons include the continued depreciation of the yen, enhancing the sense of affordability, along with the resumption of routes and increased seat supply by airlines from various countries, which boosted demand.



3. Rapid Growth and Concentration by Country/Region (First Half of 2025, Foreign Visitors to Japan)

RankCountry/RegionNumber in First HalfYear-on-YearShare
1South Korea4.783 million+7.7%22.2%
2China4.718 million+53.5%21.9%
3Taiwan3.280 million+10.3%15.2%
4United States1.456 million+9.0%6.8%
5Hong Kong1.280 million▲33.4%5.9%
6Thailand1.083 million+8.1%5.0%
7Australia882,000+14.5%4.1%
8Philippines776,000+12.2%3.6%
9Malaysia685,000+10.9%3.2%
10Indonesia629,000+9.8%2.9%

*Based on the first-half preliminary figures announced by JNTO (Japan National Tourism Organization) in July 2025.



4. Impact of 2.5 Trillion Yen in Foreign Spending

Travel spending for the April-June period was 2.525 trillion yen (up 18.0% year-on-year), setting a quarterly record high. The average expenditure was 238,693 yen. The highest was by British visitors (444,000 yen), followed by Italians and Germans.Japan Wire by KYODO NEWS
Tourism consumption is classified as an export, and it is growing into an export industry second only to automobiles.Reuters



5. Long Stays and Repeat Visitors Attracted by Yen Depreciation

In early July, the yen exchange rate fluctuated between 142 and 145 yen to the dollar, and the average dollar-based hotel accommodation cost in major cities was 15-20% lower than in 2019. As a result, the average length of stay for visitors from North America and Europe extended from 10.4 nights to 11.7 nights.



6. Government Policies and International Event Effects

  • Visa Relaxation and Digital Transformation of Entry/Exit Procedures

  • Osaka/Kansai Expo (Opening in April 2025)

  • IR (Integrated Resort) Opening Preparations

    These are expected to support medium- to long-term demand and serve as catalysts for achieving the 2030 goal of "60 million visitors and 15 trillion yen."Condé Nast Traveler



7. Disaster Rumors and Risk Management Behind the Decline in Hong Kong Visitors

The prophecy of a "July 5th disaster" from the manga "The Future I Saw" spread on social media, leading to a series of reservation cancellations in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea. Travel demand is easily influenced by psychological factors, making rapid fact-checking and multilingual risk communication essential for unverified information.The Guardian



8. Current State of Overtourism and Keys to Regional Dispersion

  • Kyoto, Nara, and the Foothills of Mt. Fuji are experiencing severe congestion and etiquette issues

  • Insufficient Reception Infrastructure: Discussions on increasing accommodation taxes and introducing entry fees

  • Subsidies for Local Railway Lines and Night Buses to Promote Circulation

    The government plans to support local governments' unique regulations and tourism revitalization measures with the "Tourism Special Zone" concept.



9. Opening New Markets with Sustainable Tourism and DX

  • Tourism Apps Integrated with ChatGPT for Multilingual Guidance and Purchase Data Analysis

  • Carbon Offset Accommodation Plans Offered by Major Travel Agencies

  • Experiences in Local Primary Industries and Craft Workshops are Increasing in Value
    Businesses that actively invest in sustainable tourism tend to have higher visitor spending.



10. Conclusion and Future Strategic Guidelines

The rapid expansion in the first half of 2025 represents a growth phase with both light and shadow. Rather than relying solely on the tailwind of yen depreciation,

  1. "From Quantity to Quality": Transition to High Added Value and Long-Stay Types

  2. Regional Dispersion and DX: Alleviating Congestion and Maximizing Experience Value

  3. Risk Management: Information Dissemination and Strengthening Supply Chains
    —whether these can be implemented will determine the success of the 2030 goals.



🔗 List of Reference Articles (Click to External Sites)

  1. Business Panorama: So viele Touristen wie nie in Japan im ersten Halbjahr

  2. Kyodo News: Japan saw record 22 mil. foreign visitors in 1st half of 2025##HTML_TAG_

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