Japan Bound

The Japanese ruling parties specify a rise in departure tax from 1,000 yen currently to 3,000 yen on July 1 2026 in the Tax Reform Outline for FY2026 to drive the national tourism policies.

If the current tax-free shopping (TFS) system for foreign visitors to Japan is abolished, Japan may lose 847 billion yen of GDP and 1.6 million international arrivals, according to Japan Shopping Tourism Organization.

According to NAVITIME JAPAN data, Shizuoka was the top airport international travelers from Asia arrived , and Naha from Europe, U.S. and Australia.

The number of international arrivals in Japan in November 2025 was up 10.4% year on year to 3,518,000. The total for the first 11 months of 2025 reached 39,065,600, already breaking the previous annual record.

admission ticket types and prices for GREEN×EXPO2027, which will be held in Yokohama from March 19 to September 26 2027, have been decided.

According to Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau (OCTB), 45% of international travelers arriving in Kansai Airport booked them before their departures. The most-used booking platform was Klook.

The number of international conventions organized in Japan increased by 1.2 rimes year on year to 1,702 in 2024 . The number of participants was also up 1.2 times to 1.24 million.

The occupancy rate of 112 hotels in Kyoto City was up 1.3 points year on year to 90% in October 2025, which was record-high after the end of the pandemic. If Chinese guests halve, DMO KYOTO has estimated that the occupancy rate will be down to 84.4% in November.

Bounce has started a new service to deliver travelers’ luggages from Haneda Airport, Centrair AIrport, Fukuoka Airport and Naha Airport to about 3,000 Yamato Transport branch offices nationwide.

A new ‘Purple Line’ of the double-deck ‘Sky Hop Bus Kyoto’ was opened in Kyoto City, connecting tourist destinations of Arashiyama, Kinkakuji Temple, Daitokuji Temple and Nijo Castle.

Supposing the fee will be around 23,000 yen based on the average of the visa fee of six G7 counties, Nomura Securities has estimated that the annual number of international visitors to Japan may reduce by 1.7%, and spending per traveler by 2.0%.

The number of international arrivals in Japan in October 2025 was up 17.6% year on year to 3,896,300, record-braking for October with 580,000 more arrivals than a year ago.

The World’s Best New Hotel of ‘World Ski Award 2025’ was won by Nikko Style Niseko HANAZONO in Hokkaido, Japan. For the ski industry in Japan, winners are Rusutsu Resort for the Japan’s Best Ski Resort.

Agoda formed a strategic partnership with Hoshino Resorts to enable a user to book all of the Hoshino Resorts to send foreign travelers to local areas in Japan.

International tourism award ‘TOURISE Award 2025' was announced. The first Best Overall Destination winner was Tokyo, highly valued as the city experience combined innovations and diversities.

According to Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection (BHTP)'s the safest country to travel 2026, Japan is ranked 9th and selected as one of Hall of Fame countries that have averaged a top-10 position since 2018.

UnionPay, the Chinese digital wallet, has started issuing an exclusive card for travelers to Kansai area in Japan to stimulate Chinese travers’ shopping minds.

Luggage storage provider Bounce has launched a luggage delivery service between Yamato Transport’s 3000 bases nationwide in Japan, allowing allows a traveler to deliver luggage between the Yamato’s offices or check-in counters.

JTB and JR Tokai, a Japan’s railway company, has launched luggage delivery service ‘LUGGAGE EXPRESS’ between Tokyo and Kyoto with Shinkansen. A traveler receives it at a hotel on the day.

Kyoto City and DMO KYOTO send messages of tourism manners to foreign visitors in the busiest autumn leaves season in partnership with Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO).