Surge in Foreign Visitors to Japan Reaches Record High in May

According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, the number of foreign tourists traveling to Japan in May soared to 3,693,300, marking a remarkable 21.5% increase from the same month last year and setting a new record for this period. In the first five months of 2025, the total count of international visitors reached 18,140,100, surpassing the previous record of 14,641,780 recorded during the same duration in the previous year.

The notable increase in visitors in May can be attributed mainly to tourists from China, Taiwan, and the United States who were in Japan for vacations or docking at cruise ports. However, there was a decline in visitors from Hong Kong, where numbers fell by 11.2% to 193,100, after social media rumors suggested a potential earthquake could occur in Japan.

By specific countries, South Korea led the way with 825,800 visitors, reflecting an 11.8% growth. This was followed by travelers from mainland China, numbering 789,900 which is a substantial increase of 44.8%, while visitors from Taiwan reached 538,400, showing a rise of 15.5%. Lastly, 311,900 tourists from the United States visited Japan, marking a 26.3% increase in arrivals from that region.