Japan sees first tourist decline since January
The number of foreign visitors to Japan in April fell 5.5 percent from a year earlier to 3.69 million, a decline attributed to flight suspensions and reductions linked to the conflict in the Middle East as well as a diplomatic row with China, government data showed Wednesday, News.Az reports, citing Kyodo.
It was the first decline since January, although the April figure still marked the highest monthly total recorded so far in 2026, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization.
By country and region, visitors from the Middle East dropped 21.4 percent to 22,300, as the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran disrupted air traffic at some airports and affected flights from Europe through the Middle East to Japan.
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Visitors from China plunged 56.8 percent to 330,700 following Beijing’s call for its citizens to avoid traveling to Japan. The advisory came after bilateral relations deteriorated over remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi regarding Japan’s potential involvement in a Taiwan contingency.
South Korea ranked first in terms of visitor numbers with 878,600 arrivals, up 21.7 percent, followed by Taiwan with 643,500, up 19.7 percent.
Record highs for April were reached in nine markets, including South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, and the United States.
By Nijat Babayev
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