Japan Inbound Visitors Dip 2% in First Half, but Spending per Visitor Hits a Record

A first drop in five years

Japan welcomed 21.08 million foreign visitors from January to June 2026, down 2% from a year earlier, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. It was the first decline in inbound tourism in five years.

Fewer Chinese visitors, more from Korea and Taiwan

Arrivals from mainland China fell 56.1% in July amid political tensions. Over the first half, South Korean arrivals rose 18.6%, Taiwanese arrivals 20.9% and US arrivals 7.1%.

Spending per visitor reaches a record

Foreign visitors spent about ¥2.5 trillion in April to June, up 0.2%, while spending per visitor climbed 3.3% to a record ¥244,457. Mori Trust expects 40.5 to 42 million visitors in 2026, below the record 42.68 million in 2025. For more, see our tourism coverage and economy section.

Source: Japan National Tourism Organization and Japan Tourism Agency data, as reported by TTG Asia and Travel Mole (August 2026).

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