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On July 16, 2025, the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) reported 21,518,100 foreign visitors in the first half of 2025, passing 20 million faster than ever. Visitors from mainland China reached 4,718,300, up 53.5% year on year, and China was the largest source market in June with 797,900 arrivals.
Overview
On July 16, 2025, the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) released its preliminary estimate of foreign visitor arrivals for June 2025. Japan received 3,377,800 visitors in June, up 7.6% year on year and the highest figure ever recorded for the month. Cumulative arrivals for January–June reached 21,518,100, up 21.0% and more than 3.7 million above the same period of 2024. Japan passed the 20 million mark in six months, the fastest pace on record.
Visitors from mainland China numbered 797,900 in June, up 19.9%, making China the largest source market for the month. For the first half, arrivals from China totaled 4,718,300, up 53.5%, second only to South Korea (4,783,500).
Background
According to JNTO, June usually falls before the summer holiday peak and demand is relatively subdued, but this year many markets saw increased travel timed with school holidays. Growth was led by China and South Korea in East Asia, Singapore and India in South and Southeast Asia, and the United States and Germany among Western markets.
Japan's Fourth Basic Plan for the Promotion of Tourism, adopted in March 2023, rests on three pillars: sustainable tourism, higher visitor spending and attracting visitors to regional areas. JNTO says it will continue strategic promotion based on close analysis of market trends.
A note on the statistics: JNTO calculates visitor arrivals from immigration control data compiled by the Ministry of Justice. The figure covers foreign nationals entering Japan, excluding foreign permanent residents and others whose main residence is in Japan, and including temporary visitors such as transit passengers. Expatriates and their families as well as international students entering or re-entering Japan are counted, while aircraft and ship crews are not. The 2025 figures released on July 16 are preliminary estimates and may be revised later. The data therefore capture not only tourists but also business travelers and students, which makes them a useful indicator of overall people-to-people exchange.
Key Points
| Market | June 2025 | YoY | Jan–Jun 2025 | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 3,377,800 | +7.6% | 21,518,100 | +21.0% |
| China | 797,900 | +19.9% | 4,718,300 | +53.5% |
| South Korea | 729,800 | +3.8% | 4,783,500 | +7.7% |
| Taiwan | 585,000 | +1.8% | 3,284,700 | +10.3% |
| Hong Kong | 166,800 | -33.4% | 1,271,100 | -0.4% |
| United States | 345,100 | +16.4% | 1,701,300 | +26.7% |
- Arrivals from the United States hit an all-time monthly high, and 15 markets, including South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore, set records for June.
- Arrivals from Hong Kong fell 33.4% year on year in June.
- Japanese outbound travelers numbered 1,054,000 in June (up 13.3%) and 6,609,000 in the first half (up 14.0%).
Implications for Japan–Shenzhen Exchange
The sharp rise in arrivals from mainland China appears to reflect increasingly active people-to-people movement between Japan and South China, including Shenzhen. On the Shenzhen–Tokyo route, Shenzhen Airlines increased its Narita service to twice daily from December 2024, and China Southern Airlines resumed Shenzhen–Narita flights in February 2025, strengthening the infrastructure for travel between the two cities.
Growing visitor numbers create demand for Japan's retail, hospitality and restaurant sectors, and may also broaden exchange in other areas, from business visits and inspection trips by Shenzhen companies to study abroad and cultural exchange. At the same time, trends differ by market, as the decline in arrivals from Hong Kong shows, and future developments are being watched closely. For Shenzhen companies in travel services and cross-border e-commerce, changes in demand for travel to Japan are also a market signal worth following.
Outlook
JNTO says it will continue its promotion activities based on market analysis. How strongly summer demand will grow from July, and what the full-year total will be, remain to be seen. The figures for July and subsequent months will be published by JNTO in its regular monthly releases.
From the Association
The Association will continue to follow trends in people-to-people exchange between Shenzhen and Japan, including tourism. We remain committed to creating opportunities that connect people in both places.
Sources
This article is based on publicly available information and is provided for reference only; accuracy and completeness are not guaranteed.