9.46 Million South Koreans Visited Japan Last Year... Largest Group Among Foreign Tourists

Foreign Visitors to Japan Surpass 40 Million for the First Time Ever
South Korean Arrivals Reach 9.46 Million, Top the List for Second Consecutive Year

Last year, the number of foreign tourists visiting Japan surpassed 40 million for the first time ever, with South Koreans recorded as the largest group of visitors for the second consecutive year. The increase in flight routes and growing travel demand, particularly among younger generations, led to record-high annual and monthly numbers of South Korean visitors to Japan.

A view of Tokyo, Japan, to help understand the article. Pixabay

According to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) on January 21, a total of 42,683,600 foreigners visited Japan last year, marking a 15.8% increase from the previous year. This is the first time the annual number of foreign visitors to Japan has exceeded 40 million.

By country and region, South Koreans accounted for the largest share, with 9,459,600 visitors. This represents a 7.3% increase from the previous year (8,817,765), securing the top spot among foreign visitors to Japan for the second year in a row. The gap with China (9,096,300) also widened again.

In particular, the number of South Korean visitors to Japan in December alone reached a record monthly high of 974,200. This was the largest share among all foreign visitors to Japan that month (3,617,700). JNTO explained, "The record monthly high was driven by increased flights and strong demand for travel to Japan among university students."

The increase in foreign visitors to Japan was also observed in other major countries such as Taiwan and the United States, but the growth rate for South Korea was the most notable. Taiwan sent 6,763,400 visitors, and the United States sent 3,306,800 visitors to Japan.

On the 31st, ahead of the New Year's extended holiday, Incheon International Airport Terminal 1 was crowded with travelers. Photo by The Asia Business Daily

In contrast, the number of Chinese visitors dropped sharply toward the end of the year. In December last year, there were 330,400 Chinese visitors, a steep 45.3% decrease compared to the same month the previous year. This decline is reportedly due to the Chinese government's advisory against traveling to Japan for its citizens, following diplomatic tensions.

Tourism spending also hit an all-time high. According to the Japan Tourism Agency, foreign visitors to Japan spent a total of 9.4559 trillion yen (approximately 8.79 trillion won) on accommodation, shopping, and other expenses last year, up 16.4% from the previous year. South Korean visitors spent 986.4 billion yen. However, the per capita spending of South Korean visitors was 104,606 yen, down 4.1% from the previous year. While the number of visitors increased, spending appears to have been somewhat dispersed.

Meanwhile, the surge in foreign visitors to Japan has raised concerns about overtourism, prompting discussions on increasing the financial burden on tourists. The Japanese government plans to raise the international tourist departure tax (exit tax) from the current 1,000 yen (about 9,300 won) to 3,000 yen (about 28,000 won) starting in July, and some local governments are also moving to introduce or expand accommodation taxes.