Japan's 2024 Foreign Visitors Surge 47% to 36.87 Million; Spending Up 53% to ¥8.14 Trillion

Jan 15, 2025, 07:25 AM

Japan has recorded a historic surge in foreign tourism in 2024, welcoming a record 36,869,900 visitors, surpassing the pre-pandemic record of approximately 31.88 million in 2019 by nearly 5 million. The influx represents a 47% increase from the previous year, driven by a surge in global travel demand and aided by the weakening yen, which has made Japan a more attractive and affordable destination. Tourist spending also reached an all-time high, exceeding 8.1395 trillion yen ($71 billion), up 53% from the prior year, according to preliminary government data. China topped the list in terms of spending, with visitors from the country contributing 1.7335 trillion yen. December 2024 alone saw a monthly record of 3.49 million foreign visitors, marking a 28% year-on-year increase. The Japanese government is now focusing on reaching its target of 60 million foreign visitors by 2030.