Japan Tourism Shock: China Visits Collapse by 57%

Japan Records First Monthly Decline as Chinese Arrivals Plunge

The Data

Japan saw its first monthly drop in arrivals this year in April 2026.

• China: Arrivals down 56.8% (to 330,700 visitors) amid diplomatic war warnings and airspace disruptions.
• Middle East: Arrivals down 21.4% due to regional instability.
• The Saviors: South Korea (+21.7% to 878,600 visitors), Taiwan (+19.7%), and the United States (+12.3%) posted strong growth. The B2B Angle:
  Diversify source markets now. Japanese DMCs should accelerate targeting of Korea, Taiwan, and other growing feeders to mitigate China volatility. The “China Zero-COVID hangover” has evolved into a “geo-political hangover.”