Japan’s foreign visitor arrivals edge up to a new July record
South Korea led Japan’s inbound markets in July, while Taiwan topped 700,000 monthly arrivals for the first time despite a sharp fall in arrivals from mainland China.
- Japan's foreign visitor arrivals reached a record 3.44 million in July, a slight 0.1% year-on-year increase and the first such rise in four months.
- The growth was driven by a significant increase in visitors from South Korea (+31.9%) and Taiwan (+26.4%), which were the top two source markets.
- South Korea, the United States, and Indonesia each recorded their highest-ever visitor numbers for the month of July.
- In contrast, arrivals from mainland China plummeted by 56.1%, continuing an eight-month year-on-year decline.
Foreign arrivals in Japan returned to year-on-year growth in July, with the estimated total reaching 3,442,100, according to figures released by the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) on Wednesday (August 19, 2026).
The 0.1% increase was the first in four months and established a new record for July.
South Korea remained Japan’s largest source market, accounting for 894,700 visitors, 31.9% more than a year earlier.
Taiwan ranked second with 763,800, up 26.4%, followed by mainland China with 428,200 and the United States with 286,200, an increase of 3.3%.
South Korea, the United States and Indonesia each recorded their highest visitor numbers for any July.
Taiwan’s total exceeded 700,000 in a single month for the first time.
Arrivals from mainland China, meanwhile, plunged 56.1%.
The fall, linked to the Chinese government’s advisory against travel to Japan, extended the market’s year-on-year decline to an eighth consecutive month.
[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
