International Visitors to Japan Bounce Back to 25 Million in 2023

The number of international visitors to Japan in 2023 rose more than sixfold year on year to 25,066,100, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization, showing a strong recovery from the slump during the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 to 2022 with its accompanying travel restrictions. This figure is around 80% of the record high of 32 million recorded in 2019.

The weak yen has bolstered this recovery. While the exchange rate was around ¥110 to the US dollar in 2019, it is now nearly ¥150. Currently, Japan’s famous food and services can be enjoyed with lower outlay than during the years before the pandemic.

By country or region, the largest number of visitors came from South Korea, at 7.0 million, followed by Taiwan at 4.2 million, China at 2.4 million, Hong Kong at 2.1 million, and the United States at 2.0 million. In 2023, eight countries or regions, including the United States, had the highest number of travelers to Japan on record. However, the number of visitors to Japan from China, which accounted for around 30% of the overall total before the pandemic, only reached around 25% of the number of Chinese visitors in 2019, due in part to the country’s ban on group trips to Japan that was in effect until August. The return of Chinese tourists is the key to achieving the Japanese government’s goal of exceeding the 2019 record.

Meanwhile, the number of Japanese traveling overseas rose more than threefold year on year, to 9,624,100. However, this number is still less than 50% of the level reached in 2019, impacted in part by the weak yen.

(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo © Pixta.)