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Sharp Decline in Number of Chinese Tourists But Overall Number of Visitors to Japan Exceeds Previous Record

Yomiuri Shimbun file photo
Many foreign nationals are seen at Takeshita-dori street in the Harajuku area of Tokyo.

The Yomiuri Shimbun

21:25 JST, December 17, 2025

The growth rate of Chinese tourists to Japan in November was 3.0% year-on-year, a sharp decline from October’s growth rate of 22.8%, according to statistics released by the Japan National Tourism Organization on Wednesday.

The deterioration of Japan-China relations is believed to have had an impact on the decline.

The total number of inbound visitors from January to November reached 39,065,600, a 17.0% increase compared to the same period last year. The figure surpassed the annual record of 36,870,148 visitors set in 2024.

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The number of visitors to Japan has hit a record high for the second consecutive year. The growth is due to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the weaker yen, making Japan a more attractive travel destination.

From January to November, China led with 8,765,800 visitors, followed by South Korea and Taiwan.