The number of tourists visiting Japan from January to March exceeded 10 million for the first time

Foreign tourists visiting Japan from January to March exceeded 10 million for the first time on a quarterly basis. The recovery of tourists from mainland China played a driving role. The consumption amount decreased slightly from the previous quarter, but it was still at a high level. The worrying factor in the future is the tariff policy of the Trump administration in the United States. If the world economy slows down, the consumption of tourists visiting Japan, which supports the Japanese economy, may also cool down.

The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) announced on April 16 that the number of tourists visiting Japan in March was 3.4976 million. From January to March, it reached 10.5373 million, exceeding the 9.989256 million from October to December 2024. It set a quarterly record. Looking at the number of tourists visiting Japan from January to March by country and region, the largest number was South Korea, reaching 2.5061 million.

The second largest number of tourists from mainland China was 2.3649 million. The number of tourists from mainland China increased by about 80% compared with the same period in 2024. There are also many tourists from the United States and Australia, especially those who visit Japan for winter sports such as skiing.

With the arrival of spring, the number of tourists visiting Japan to enjoy cherry blossoms has also increased. In March alone, about 60,000 people from Indonesia visited Japan, which overlaps with the holiday after the end of Ramadan, an increase of about 60% over the same period last year.

Tourists’ spending also remained strong. The Japan Tourism Agency announced on the 16th that spending in January-March 2025 was 2.272 trillion yen. From October to December 2024, it was 2.2969 trillion yen, a record high. The average spending of tourists visiting Japan from January to March was 222,000 yen (about 11,400 yuan), slightly lower than the 236,000 yen from October to December 2024.

By the purpose of consumption, accommodation, transportation and shopping expenses decreased. There are signs of change in industries that have remained strong due to the effect of tourists visiting Japan. Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings, J.FRONT RETAILING and Takashimaya reported sales at existing stores in March that were lower than the same period last year. There is a sign of a pause in the special demand for luxury goods among visiting Japanese customers, and the average customer spending has fallen. Yayoi Sakanaka of Mizuho Research & Technologies pointed out that “if the number of tourists increases and the average spending continues while the concentration on popular tourist attractions remains unchanged, negative effects such as overtourism (tourism pollution) may become significant.” She said, “Policies to disperse tourists to local areas to alleviate the impact will become more important.” Visitors to Japan can now be seen in places that were previously rarely visited by tourists. According to data from Japan Travel by NAVITIME, the number of foreign tourists in Tobetsu Town, Hokkaido, increased by about 21 times from the same period last year from June to August 2024, ranking first in Japan among all municipalities. The US government’s tariff policy casts a shadow on the future. In 2009, after the Lehman shock, the number of visitors to Japan also fell from the previous year due to the global economic recession.

Takashimaya’s president Yoshiro Murata said at the earnings conference on the 14th that “due to the appreciation of the yen and Trump’s tariffs, the number of Chinese group tourists has decreased compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic.” He pointed out that “this trend may continue,” suggesting a sense of vigilance.