Foreign tourists to Japan fall in April amid several factors

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Foreign tourists to Japan fell by 5.5 per cent year on year in April to 3.69 million. Reported by Kyodo on Wednesday, 20 May local time, the decline was due to suspensions and reductions in flights linked to conflicts in the Middle East as well as a diplomatic dispute with China. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, the drop was the first since January, although on a monthly basis it represented the highest figure so far in 2026. The tourism body noted that visitors from the Middle East declined 21.4 per cent to 22,300, due to disruptions to air traffic from the US–Israel conflict with Iran disrupting air traffic at several airports and flights from Europe via the Middle East to Japan. Moreover, visitors from China also fell significantly, down 56.8 per cent to 330,700 after government advisories against travel to Japan. This was attributed to remarks by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggesting possible Japanese involvement in a Taiwan emergency, with bilateral ties with China deteriorating as a result. Nevertheless, there was some good news: South Korea topped the list with 878,600 visitors, up 21.7 per cent, followed by Taiwan with 643,500, up 19.7 per cent. The total from nine markets, including South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam and the United States, reached a record high for April.