Foreign Visitors to Japan Fall 9.6% in August to 3.10 Million

The number of foreign visitors to Japan fell 9.6 percent in August from a year earlier, dropping to 3,098,900, according to estimates released by the Japan National Tourism Organization. It was the first year-on-year decline in visitor numbers in two months.

The decline came despite strong demand from many of Japan's major tourism markets during the summer holiday period. Visitor numbers from 14 countries and regions reached record highs for August, showing that the overall fall was driven by particularly sharp declines from some markets rather than a broad reduction in overseas interest in Japan.

The largest factor was a steep drop in visitors from mainland China. Chinese arrivals fell 59.0 percent from a year earlier to about 418,000, according to the JNTO figures.

Chinese Visitor Numbers Fall Sharply

China has traditionally been one of Japan's largest sources of international visitors, making the change in arrivals from the market particularly significant for the overall tourism figures.

The JNTO said the decline in Chinese visitors was associated with reductions in air services following a Chinese government advisory urging its citizens to avoid travel to Japan. The reduction in flights made it more difficult for visitors from China to travel to Japan during the month.

Chinese visitor numbers have now fallen year on year for nine consecutive months. The 59.0 percent decline in August was substantially larger than the changes recorded in most other major markets.

The fall in Chinese arrivals also came at a time when tourism demand from several other East Asian markets remained strong. South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong all recorded increases, with each reaching its highest-ever August visitor total.

South Korea Records a Record August

South Korea remained one of Japan's strongest sources of visitors, with arrivals increasing 28.7 percent from a year earlier to approximately 850,500 in August.

The figure was the highest ever recorded for August from South Korea. The JNTO attributed the strong demand partly to school holidays, increased airline capacity and continued interest in travelling to Japan.

South Korea's growth helped offset some of the decline from China. The two markets are geographically close to Japan and have large numbers of visitors travelling to Japan throughout the year.

The August figures also demonstrate how visitor trends can differ significantly between neighbouring countries. While Chinese arrivals dropped sharply, South Korean arrivals increased by more than a quarter compared with the same month in 2025.

Taiwan and Hong Kong Also Reach August Records

Visitors from Taiwan increased 7.3 percent from a year earlier to approximately 666,000 in August. That was the highest August total ever recorded for the Taiwanese market.

Arrivals from Hong Kong also reached a record August figure, increasing 9.4 percent to about 247,300.

The three East Asian markets of South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong therefore all recorded their highest August visitor numbers while Chinese arrivals moved sharply in the opposite direction.

The contrasting results underline the uneven nature of Japan's tourism market in August. Overall visitor numbers declined, but many individual markets continued to expand.

Fourteen Markets Reach August Records

The JNTO said 14 countries and regions recorded their highest-ever visitor numbers for the month of August.

The markets included South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, the United States, Mexico, France, Italy, Spain, Russia, the Nordic region and the Middle East.

Italy and Spain went further, recording their highest monthly visitor totals for any month, rather than simply setting records for August.

Arrivals from Italy increased 15.1 percent to 47,300, while visitors from Spain rose 14.1 percent to 36,500. Both markets therefore continued to expand even as Japan's overall August figure declined.

More Visitors From the United States and Mexico

The United States also recorded growth, with visitor numbers increasing 1.5 percent from a year earlier to approximately 197,400.

Mexico recorded a considerably larger increase. Arrivals from the country rose 37.0 percent to around 18,600, another August record.

The figures show the increasing contribution of markets outside East Asia to Japan's inbound tourism industry. While the largest visitor markets still have a major influence on the overall total, strong growth from smaller markets can provide additional demand for hotels, restaurants, attractions and other tourism businesses.

The record figures from Italy, Spain, Mexico and several other markets also suggest that the August decline cannot be interpreted as a general collapse in overseas demand for Japan.

Some European and Southeast Asian Markets Decline

Not every market outside China recorded growth. Visitor numbers from Australia fell 7.4 percent to approximately 38,200, marking the second consecutive month of year-on-year decline.

Arrivals from Thailand fell 9.3 percent, while visitors from Germany declined 5.5 percent. The Philippines recorded an 11.6 percent decrease.

The JNTO said August is a period when inbound tourism demand from some Southeast Asian markets tends to be more subdued. Flight cancellations caused by typhoons and reductions in airline services also affected visitor numbers in some markets.

Weather can have a direct effect on international tourism to Japan, particularly during the summer typhoon season. Flight cancellations can affect both the number of visitors able to arrive and the number of people able to complete planned trips.

Summer Holidays Support Tourism Demand

Despite the overall decline, the JNTO said there was strong demand for travel to Japan from East Asia as well as Europe, the United States, Australia and the Middle East during the summer holiday period.

School holidays and other seasonal breaks helped support visitor numbers from several markets. The August figures also benefited from continued interest in Japan as an international tourist destination.

The weak yen against many currencies remained another factor supporting overseas demand. A relatively weak Japanese currency can make accommodation, food, shopping and other expenses in Japan comparatively attractive to visitors whose home currencies have strengthened against the yen.

However, currency conditions are only one part of the tourism picture. Flight availability, airfares, seasonal holidays, weather and government travel advisories can all influence whether people choose to visit Japan.

Typhoons Affect Some Travel Plans

The August figures were also affected by tropical storms and typhoons. The JNTO said flight cancellations caused by typhoons contributed to declines in some markets.

Japan's summer and early autumn travel period can be affected by severe weather, particularly when storms approach major airports or follow routes used by international airlines.

Even when airports remain open, airlines may reduce services or cancel individual flights when severe weather threatens aircraft operations. Such disruptions can therefore influence monthly visitor statistics.

The weather-related disruption was one of several factors behind weaker arrivals from particular markets, alongside the seasonal slowdown experienced in parts of Southeast Asia and changes in airline services.

Japan's Tourism Industry Remains Heavily Dependent on International Visitors

The August figures come after Japan experienced exceptionally strong inbound tourism following the reopening of international travel. The country has attracted large numbers of visitors seeking traditional destinations such as Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka as well as regional cities, resorts and rural areas.

The continued growth from many markets shows that Japan remains a major destination for international travellers. At the same time, the sharp fall from China demonstrates how changes in an individual market can have a substantial effect on the national total.

Tourism businesses therefore continue to operate in an environment where demand can vary significantly depending on visitors' country of residence. Hotels, airlines, retailers and attractions may see different patterns depending on which international markets are growing or declining.

The August results provide a particularly clear example of this variation, with record visitor numbers from 14 markets occurring alongside the overall 9.6 percent decline.

Japan Receives Almost 3.1 Million Visitors in August

The 3,098,900 foreign visitors recorded in August represented a decrease from approximately 3.43 million visitors in August 2025.

The decline means that August became the first month in two months to record a year-on-year decrease in inbound visitors. Nevertheless, the monthly total remained above three million people.

The JNTO defines foreign visitors to Japan using figures based on immigration statistics compiled by Japan's Ministry of Justice. The calculation excludes foreign permanent residents of Japan and includes certain other categories of visitors, such as people entering Japan through port calls or transit arrangements.

Crew members are not included in the visitor total. The figures are therefore intended to measure people travelling to Japan as visitors rather than everyone entering Japanese territory.

Japanese Overseas Travel Also Declines

While inbound tourism declined in August, the number of Japanese residents travelling overseas also fell compared with the previous year.

Approximately 1.59 million Japanese people travelled abroad during the month, a decrease of 3.6 percent from August 2025.

The reduction in outbound travel provides another indication that international travel patterns were not uniformly stronger during the month. The reasons affecting Japanese overseas travel differ from those affecting foreign visitors to Japan and include household spending conditions and destination-specific factors.

Japan therefore continued to receive substantially more international visitors than the number of Japanese residents travelling overseas during August.

What the August Figures Show

The August tourism figures present a mixed picture for Japan. Overall foreign visitor numbers fell 9.6 percent to 3,098,900, largely because of a dramatic reduction in arrivals from mainland China and declines in several other markets.

At the same time, South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong all recorded their highest August visitor totals. Fourteen countries and regions reached August records, while Italy and Spain recorded their highest monthly visitor totals ever.

The JNTO also pointed to seasonal factors, flight reductions and typhoon-related cancellations as contributors to weaker arrivals from some markets. The weak yen and strong summer holiday demand continued to support travel from many other countries.

Japan's inbound tourism market therefore remains large and internationally diverse, even though August produced a year-on-year decline. The coming months will show whether the weakness in Chinese arrivals continues to weigh on the overall figures or whether continued growth from other markets can offset the reduction.

For now, the latest data shows that Japan welcomed almost 3.1 million foreign visitors in August, with record numbers from numerous markets despite the sharp fall in arrivals from China.