Japan Records High Tourism Despite Plummeting Chinese Visitor Arrivals

Japan achieved a record high in foreign visitor arrivals in March 2026, with total arrivals for the first quarter reaching 10,683,500. Growth was driven by increased tourism from the United States, Vietnam, Britain, South Korea, and Taiwan.

Despite the overall surge, arrivals from the Chinese mainland plunged 55.9% year-on-year to 291,600 in March, marking a fourth consecutive monthly decline. The downturn follows travel advisories issued by the Government of China and contentious remarks regarding Taiwan made by Sanae Takaichi.

The slump in Chinese tourism caused significant economic damage, with spending from these travelers falling 50.4% to 271.5 billion yen during the first quarter. Major retailers, including Takashimaya and J. Front Retailing, reported their first net profit declines in five years. Keiichi Ono, president of J. Front Retailing, noted that the loss of Chinese tourism revenue would be difficult to offset in the short term.