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Statistics from the Japan National Tourism Organization show that the number of foreign visitors to Japan is rapidly increasing this year, with the number of visitors from January to September 2024 exceeding the total for all of 2023. Specifically, approximately 26.88 million foreign visitors came to Japan during the period from January to September 2024, a 54.7% increase compared to the same period last year, higher than the 25.07 million visitors for the whole of 2023.
September witnessed a spectacular recovery in Japan's tourism industry. With 2.87 million visitors, a 31.5% increase year-on-year, this figure not only broke all records but also demonstrated the industry's remarkable resilience after the pandemic. Even compared to the same period in 2019, before the Covid-19 outbreak, the number of tourists increased by 26.4%, an impressive figure highlighting the irresistible appeal of the Land of the Rising Sun.
Japan attracts a large number of foreign tourists.
Japanese airports such as Narita and Haneda have become busier than ever as they welcome millions of visitors from South Korea and China. With 656,700 visitors, South Koreans created a "blue wave" in the Land of the Rising Sun. Meanwhile, the Chinese community also contributed significantly with 652,300 visitors, especially during the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day.
The cherry blossom season, in particular, has caused this number to increase even further.
Tourist arrivals from Taiwan (China) increased by 22.2%, to 470,600 people, and the number of visitors from the United States increased by 22.5%, to 191,900 people in September.
Meanwhile, the number of visitors from the Middle East also increased by 14.8% last month to a record high of 14,200, thanks to an increase in the number of direct flights, including those connecting Istanbul and the Kansai region.
The increase in tourism brings with it many negative consequences.
Conversely, the number of Japanese tourists traveling abroad in September 2024 totaled 1.2 million, a 20.7% increase year-on-year but still a 30.8% decrease compared to September 2019. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), in August, the peak tourist season, 745,800 Chinese tourists visited Japan, nearly double the number in 2023, with flights between the two countries increasing during the month.
Japan, a country aiming to attract 60 million foreign tourists annually by 2030, is facing numerous challenges, including labor shortages in some accommodation establishments and negative impacts from the tourism boom, such as traffic congestion.
