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FOREIGN tourists to Japan decreased by 5.5% in April compared to the previous year (year on year/yoy) to 3.69 million.
Kyodo reported, Wednesday (5/20) local time, the decline was caused by the suspension and reduction of flights related to conflicts in the Middle East and diplomatic disputes with China.
According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, this decline is the first since January, although on a monthly basis it will be the highest recorded in 2026.
According to tourist organizations, visitors from the Middle East decreased 21.4% to 22,300, this was due to the US-Israel war with Iran which disrupted air traffic at several airports and flights from Europe via the Middle East to Japan.
Not only that, tourists from China also experienced a significant decline, namely decreasing by 56.8% or to 330,700 after an appeal from the government to avoid traveling to Japan.
This is because Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has stated that there is potential for Japanese involvement in the emergency situation in Taiwan, bilateral relations with the Bamboo Curtain country are said to have deteriorated due to Takaichi’s statement.
However, there is good news, South Korea topped the list with 878,600 visitors, an increase of 21.7%, followed by Taiwan with 643,500 or an increase of 19.7%.
The number of visitors from nine markets, including South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam and the United States, reached a record high in April. [antaranews/photo special]
