News
145 Michelin Key Hotels, including seven 3 Michelin Keys, are selected in Japan with 19 new entries
‘Michelin Key Hotel Selection 2026' was announced. In Japan, seven 3 Michelin Keys, 23 2 Michelin Keys and 115 1 Michelin Keys were awarded.
WTTC, JATA and Tourism EXPO Japan form a partnership to strengthen global competitiveness of the Japan’s travel industry
WTTC, JATA and the Tourism EXPO Japan (TEJ) Executive Committee signed a new MOU to strengthen collaboration between Japan's travel and tourism industry and the global tourism industry.
Japanese Prime Minister says that tourism should be a ‘strategic industry’ in Japan at Tourism EXPO Japan 2026
The 12th Tourism EXPO Japan (TEJ) 2026 with a theme of ‘The Changing Nature of Travel’ opened at Tokyo Big Sight on September 24 2026. Japanese Prime Minister says that tourism should be a ‘strategic industry’ in Japan
The Japan’s first ‘complete unmanned taxi’ will be commercialized in Tokyo by the end of 2027
Taxi app GO, US-baed auto-driving mobility Waymo under Alphabet and taxi operator Nihon Kotsu aim to start the Japan’s first complete unmanned taxi business under the auto-driving level 4 by the end of 2027.
JTB tests AI Smart Glasses for International guests at hotels and tourist information, eyeing the future commercialization
JTB Inbound Trip (JIT) and ThinkAR Japan signed an agreement on expansion of AI wearable solutions in the tourism and hospitality industry of Japan.
GREEN×EXPO 2027 overview was unveiled 6 months before opening, featuring National Days for 59 countries and organizations
‘GREEN×EXPO 2027’ with a theme of ‘Scenery of the Future for Happiness’ will open on March 19 2027 in Yokohama City. Outlines of the event was unveiled.
Japanese international travelers were down 3.6% to 1.59 million in August 2026
The number of Japanese international travelers in August 2026 was down 3.6% year on year to 1,588,600. Compared to May 2019 (2.1 million travelers), the number was still down 24.7%.
International arrivals in Japan in August 2026 were down 9.6% to 3.1 million, despite record-high in 14 source markets
The number of international arrivals in Japan in August 2026 decreased by 9.6% year on year to 3,098,900, while arrivals from 14 source markets reached record-high for August.
Tourism Australia promotes tourism marketing ‘Chosen by AI,’ expecting further growth of the Japan market
Catherine O'Brien, Executive General Manager of Global Markets at Tourism Australia talked about the 10-years ‘Tourism 2035’ strategy and AI adaptation.
Uber Japan works together with Fujiyoshida City, a gateway for Mt.Fuji, to tackle the over-tourism challenge
Uber Japan and Fujiyoshida City, Yamanashi Prefecture, signed a comprehensive partnership agreement for countermeasures against over-tourism.
Luggage storage service Bounce launched its service at convenience stores in Tokyo
Bounce launched its luggage storage services at three Lawson stores, which allows a traveler to enjoy sightseeing or shopping without carrying large suitcases.
JTB new CEO talks about the company’s growth strategy from the restructuring of its global operations to the inbound travel
Tomo Aomi. who took office as President and CEO of JTB on June 30 2026, talked about the company’s growth strategy from the restructuring of its global operations to the inbound travel.
Live ‘Pokémon GO’ events will be held in Sendai, Japan and Mexico City as great opportunities for local tourism
‘Pokémon GO Wild Area,’ a live event for ‘Pokémon GO,’ will be held simultaneously in Sendai City and Mexico City over three days from November 6 to 8, 2026.
HIS, a leading Japanese travel agency, acquires a US-based inbound travel agency to strengthen its businesses in North America
HIS has decided to acquire shares in American Ring Travel, Inc. (ART) based in California, USA to strengthen the company's business foundation in North America.
Four major Japanese travel agencies launch a new organization to promote higher-valued sports hospitality tourism
KNT, JTB, Pia and Tobu Top Tours launched Sports Hospitality Promotion Council (SHPC) to develop the sports industry and activate local economies in Japan.
The best time to see the autumn leaves in Japan is expected to be later than usual, around November 24 in Arashiyama, Kyoto
The best time to see the autumn leaves in Japan is expected to be latter than usual due to higher temperatures than usual nationwide.
The most popular overseas destination is Hawaii in the five-consecutive holidays in September, according to JTB
In so-called ‘Sliver Week,’ five-consecutive holidays (September 19 to 23 2026), The most popular FIT (without tour conductor) overseas destination is Hawaii, according to JTB.
The top Japanese amusement park operator in sales is Oriental Land operating Tokyo Disneyland Resort
Sales of 122 amusement park operators in Japan were up 3.4% year on year to 1.1 trillion yen in total in FY2025. Oriental Land (Tokyo Disney Resort) topped the list at 588.171 billion yen.
Domestic travel consumption by Japanese travelers was up 12% to 7.5 trillion yen in Q2 of 2026
The total amount of domestic travel consumption by Japanese travelers for the 2nd quarter of 2026 (April to June) was up 11.7% year on year to 7.5 trillion yen.
Haneda Airport Terminal 1 is expanded with additional six boarding gates, reducing bus transfers
The Terminal 1 North Satellite for domestic flights of Haneda Airport opened with six additional boarding gates on September 1 2026, reducing bus transfers required for boarding and disembarking aircraft
