The number of international arrivals in Japan totaled record-high 42.7 million in 2025. Chinese visitors reduced by 45% year on year in December 2025 due to the political tension between Japan and China, but the total reached record-high 9 million or more in 2025.
Makiyu Deguchi, Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) Director, said at a regular media briefing that an increase in international travelers to regional areas and diversification of source markets have certainly been progressing.
In October 2025, the growth rate of international travelers’ nights in three major urban areas was down 0.8% year on year, while the growth rate of those in regional areas up 14.1%. By source market, more travelers from Taiwan and South Korea visited local areas in the first 10 months of 2025 compared to the same period of 2019, and 200% more travelers from U.S., Canada and Europe visited regional areas.
Regarding market diversification, a share of travelers from China and three East Asia (South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong) reduced from 70% in 2019 to 65% in 2025, and a share of China particularly down from 30% to 21%. In reverse, a share of those from U.S., Europe, Australia and Middle East expanded from 14% to 18%. In particular, travelers from Mexico and Middle East, where JNTO opened local offices in November 2021, considerably increased by 79% and 80% respectively compared to 2019.
JNTO will promote Japan in the grand sumo tournament in Paris
JNTO organized a talk event and a network event for local media and travel industry in London when the grand sumo tournament held in October 2025. JNTO plans to develop the same kind of promotion programs in the grand sumo tournament in Paris in June 2026.
In South Korea, JNTO developed ‘Selected 60 small cities in Japan’ promotion as a celebration program for the 60th anniversary of Japan-South Korea Diplomacy Normalization in 2025. As a result, the ratio of stay nights in regional areas by travelers from South Korea expanded to 52% in the first nine months of 2025 from 45.4% a year ago.
The biggest educational travel source market is Taiwan
According to the survey in 2024, the number of foreign schools carrying out exchange programs with schools in Japan was 771, around 30% more than 2023. The biggest source market was Taiwan, followed by China, South Korea and U.S. The largest accepting area was Chub with 210 schools.
The number o foreign students participating in school exchange programs was up about 20% to 18,700. The biggest source market was Taiwan.
JNTO provides information through its "Japan Education Travel Guide," and its foreign language website introduces the benefits of educational travel to Japan and school life in Japan to schools overseas.
In 2025, new pages related to STEM education and SDGs education were added. Meanwhile, the Japanese page provides information on the process of accepting students and examples of exchanges for Japanese schools and local governments. JNTO plans to focus on matching students for school exchanges.
